Request parents in Niehl: zebra crossing for safe way to school now!

Request parents in Niehl: zebra crossing for safe way to school now!

Merkenicher Straße, 50733 Köln, Deutschland - In Niehl, the pressure on the responsible authorities is growing to set up a crosswalk at the Merkenicher Straße, Halfengasse and Franz-Denhoven-Straße intersection. Daniel Vukicevic, a committed resident, collected over 550 signatures within two months. These come mainly from parents of the community elementary school (GGS) Halfengasse and the surrounding neighborhood. The handover of the signatures to the Nippes district mayor Diana Siebert recently took place in the presence of children of the school who pointed out the importance of a more secure school way with self -designed posters.

The zebra crossing could make it easier to cross the wide and often confusing Merkenich Straße. During an event in which the headmistress Petra Rößer also took part, Vukicevic pointed out the risk caused by bus line 147 due to the blocking of the Niehler dam. This situation also brings traffic to the road, which is particularly problematic in the afternoon when the children come from the sports fields.

support from the community

The demand for a crosswalks are also supported by the primary school and the Niehler Bürgerverein. District Mayor Siebert emphasized the need for a safe crossing in order to encourage more children to get to school on foot or by bike. In recent years, the idea of a zebra crossing has been treated politically several times: In March 2016 there was a decision at the request of the SPD and CDU parliamentary group in the district council Nippes, followed by a new claim in April 2024 at the request of the Green Group. Despite this political support, the administration had rejected the construction of a crosswalk in June 2024 because too little pedestrian volume was found. [KStA reports that ...]

parents draw attention to the special situation before the start of school and after school, where a high number of pedestrians gather. Thanks to the novella of road traffic regulations 2024, the regulation for setting up zebra crossing is now facilitated. Cover crossings may also be created where there is a need for safe crossings without a particularly high pedestrian volume. [Foot reports that ...

traffic safety and recommendations

The importance of zebra crossing for traffic safety is undisputed. Nevertheless, they are not without risks: In 2022, eleven people died on crosswalks and 1,515 were injured. Many drivers disregard the rules. In order to increase safety on pedestrian crossings, clear recommendations for pedestrians are essential, such as a clear body language and targeted walking.

The legal basis for safety on pedestrian crossings are regulated in §26 StVO, which is supplemented by additional guidelines. Pedestrians have priority over such a thing about automotive and bicycle traffic. It is propagated that in Tempo 30 zones zebra crossing can be considered an effective means of improving security, especially if they are well designed and meet all regulations. [Research information system reports that ...]

For the residents in Niehl, it is to be hoped that the collected signatures and political attention will lead to a positive result. A zebra crossing would not only make the way to school safer for children, but also make a significant contribution to traffic safety in the entire neighborhood. [KStA reports that ...]