bSo far, ockenheim only has the first letter in common with Barcelona. If the coalition of the Greens, SPD, FDP and Volt in Römer has its way, this could soon include a traffic-calmed district in which pedestrians and cyclists have priority and sections of the road are de-dedicated and become freely usable areas. With benches and more greenery, they should encourage people to stay there longer than is absolutely necessary.
The principle, called Superilles in Catalan, which means something like “super islands”, has served as a model for many other cities under the name Superblocks. According to the proposal submitted by the coalition, a superblock would consist of up to four neighborhoods, each no larger than approximately 400 × 400 meters. Last year it provided money for the planning of superblocks in Bockenheim and Nordend-West, as well as for citizen participation. The topic has already been discussed in both local councils. The keyword superblock has also been mentioned in connection with the train station district. Volt parliamentary group leader Martin Huber also sees suitable neighborhoods in other parts of the city, such as Bornheim, Gallus, Sachsenhausen and Ostend.
Traffic should be directed to surrounding, efficient main roads, among other things, through the “strategic placement” of one-way streets. However, it is guaranteed that all destinations can be reached by car even within a superblock, says the SPD's mobility policy spokeswoman, Kristina Luxen. However, individual road sections with little traffic significance could become community and meeting areas.
More freedom, less noise
According to Huber, this not only brings open space in a densely built-up city, but it also reduces pollutant emissions and noise. Katharina Knacker (The Greens) calls Superblocks a good step to make the immediate living environment safer for children, encourage them to exercise more and enable them to move independently. The Liberals also support the proposal. Uwe Schulz (FDP) even expects positive effects for retail. The shops would also benefit from an environment with a high quality of stay. However, the basis is a sufficient analysis of the parking space situation and an evaluation of the data on the traffic volume on the main and side streets. “The superblock concept ensures that traffic flow on the main roads is guaranteed.”
The application states that “the public parking space should be adapted” for open spaces, accessibility and a better quality of stay. This means that parking spaces will be eliminated. “In built-up cities, space can almost only be gained through parking spaces,” says Huber. We have to see whether the parking space can be reorganized and created elsewhere, for example with a neighborhood garage. But it is clear: “The parking spaces are the sticking point.”
The Roman majority relies on local initiatives when planning superblocks. In October 2022, the German Transport Club (VCD) presented the concept for a superblock in Bockenheim that is intended to calm Leipziger Straße. At the end of last year, however, the head of the planning department, Marcus Gwechenberger (SPD), announced in a report that there was a lack of staff to deal specifically with the proposal.
The citizens' initiative “Frankfurt Priority” has expressed criticism of the creation of superblocks. She calls the proposal “reckless” because it limits mobility to short distances. However, many citizens do not want to be referred to the local supermarket to shop; they would like to visit friends, go on excursions and have to go to work, the location of which cannot be chosen. The proportion of older residents, who are often dependent on their own car, is increasing. The number of cars is also growing in Frankfurt.
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