Refurbishment of the bike path in Dresden: Danger for cyclists is growing!

Refurbishment of the bike path in Dresden: Danger for cyclists is growing!

Steinstraße, 01067 Dresden, Deutschland - The cycle path on Steinstraße in Dresden, which runs between the terrace bank and Pillnitzer Straße, faces an urgent renovation. This necessity was requested by the Team Zastrow faction in the city council in an application. The cycle path, which has been redirected since the Carol Bridge collapsed, is badly damaged, so that the filling material below is visible. In addition, there is poor signage for cyclists who come from the Elberadweg. The path only leads through a makeshift yellow line towards Pillnitzer Straße and ends abruptly, which leads to confusion and dangers for the cyclists. Cyclists are forced to avoid the road or footpath, which increases the risk of accidents.

Holger Zastrow criticized the mayor Stephan Kühn (Greens) because of the inadequate measures and described the condition of the path as unsustainable, comparable to a field. The cycling activist Ulrike Medger also expressed criticism: the city of Male pictograms for cyclists on a bad surface, which does not improve traffic safety. ADFC board member Nils Larsen emphasized that the condition of the existing bike path does not meet the requirements for safe bicycle traffic.

accident statistics alert

The situation for cyclists in Dresden is also worrying, as the accident statistics show. Since the collapse of the Carol Bridge, 19 accidents have occurred on Sachsenplatz, while eight accidents were recorded throughout the year. In the past eight months alone, there have been twelve injured cyclists, with the majority of accidents affecting. These alarming numbers have caused the signal control to be adjusted at Sachsenplatz in order to increase safety for both motor vehicle traffic and cyclists.

The city took measures in cooperation with the police and the accident commission to reduce the risk of accidents. The vehicle and bicycle traffic light is now switched separately to avoid clashes. The necessary signage and marking work are carried out between 20 and 23, 2025, while short-term traffic impairments can occur.

Dresden under pressure

A look at the broader accident statistics shows that Dresden has most of the wheel accidents nationwide per 100,000 inhabitants. According to an analysis of the ADFC Dresden, the numbers for seriously injured cyclists are alarming: 97 seriously injured per 100,000 inhabitants make the city the leader among the half million cities. In the period from 2019 to 2021, 537 bike accidents were documented in Dresden, which is a significant increase compared to other cities such as Bremen, where only 349 accidents took place.

The need to improve the cycling infrastructure is undeniable. The independent analyzes and the voices from politics and activists illustrate the need for action to ensure the safety of cyclists in the city.

The renovation of the bike path on Steinstrasse is to be financed from the city's “cycle path pot”. The measures are urgently necessary in order to not only improve the infrastructure, but also to increase the safety of cyclists who are on the move in a city that is considered dangerous for cyclists.