in the last few months, the city, residents and business people from the old town have worked together to find promising solutions and have found them. Numerous meetings in workshops and in a specially established steering group brought the unanimous result that the street between the lower and upper gates as well as the sidewalks should be developed at the same height as a traffic-calmed area. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorized vehicles will have equal rights in the entire area in the future.
City planner dag schroder presented the overall planning for the lower main street as the first construction phase and the construction schedule at the city council meeting on Monday. The large construction site in the city center is to be set up as early as fall. The tour starts from the market square in the direction of the Unteres Tor. First, the entire sidewalk and the sidewalks with their high curbs are torn out and the water and sewer lines in the underground are renewed. Construction on lower main street to be completed by spring 2015, according to schroder. If everything goes according to plan, the upper main street between the market square and the upper gate will be tackled starting in fall 2015.
"In the steering group we have successfully integrated the residents and the businessmen of the old town in the decision-making process", said mayor peter kornell (G) at the beginning of the debate. The state office for the preservation of historical monuments has approved the use of the "via castello" paving stones agreed. The old city pavement is to be used on the new parking strips as a visual relief.
Large-format artificial stone slabs serve as the road surface. They are designed to ensure minimal rolling noise, which kornell considers particularly important for overnight guests in the old town. "We can’t afford even quieter asphalt in the old town", the mayor explained.
In the future, 18 parking spaces will be created between the lower gate and the marketplace. "We are trying to make the old town more car-friendly and also support private parking spaces there", according to kornell. In terms of design, the city wants to bring more green into the old town. "Those who want to from the residents receive a planting hole for a vine in front of their property. the goal is to add greenery to the old town in wine Franconian style", the head of the city emphasized.
"It makes sense to start with the lower main street and not the upper main street", explained planner schroder. The residents have been involved in the preliminary planning. A special design plan integrated the wishes of the residents as much as possible. the lower main street remains a one-way street from the lower gate in the direction of the market square. "The area for traffic will be reduced and in this way more free space will be created for pedestrians, cyclists and activities", according to the city planner. Building will be done "from top to bottom from the marketplace to the lower gate, so to speak.
A fountain based on the historical model or a modern variant will be erected opposite the hotel kreuzer. The decision has not yet been made. To stabilize the subsoil of the road, a new layer must be laid to ensure load-bearing capacity.
Exclusively positive were the comments from the council body. Gerlinde martin (CSU), who, according to kornell, "threw herself like a lion into the battle for a level extension", was pleased that the steering group with residents and business people, the planner and the city ultimately came to this forward-looking result. Peter haupt (G) said: "all interest groups are taken into account in this planning, especially the ever-growing number of cyclists." heiko bauerlein’s (CSU) conclusion: "finally we have a result after decades of discussion."
After the unanimous decision in the city council, which accepted schroeder’s planning, construction work is to begin this year at high pressure. It was announced at the council meeting that the currently "shut down" plant in Ebern has two new honorary chairmen the scharf family’s business premises at the corner of marktplatz and spitalstrasse will soon be home to a vinotheque.