Category Archives: Premium Route

Protected Bike Lanes in Corona Times: Do it Bremen!

After Corona (2): When will Bremen get Protected Bike Lanes?

Shortly before the outbreak of the pandemic, several protected bike lanes were announced in Bremen. In the meantime, we in Germany are in the middle of the second wave of infection – with a kind of “lockdown light”. Already during the first wave, cycle lanes were quickly and easily set up on multi-lane roads in many cities around the world and also in many German cities. These cities have thus responded to the changed conditions and the changing needs of their citizens during the pandemic.

In contrast, Bremen has so far not responded to the pandemic with a single pop-up cycle path.


Berlin, Kottbusser Damm: pop-up bike lane. Photo: Olaf Dilling

Continue reading Protected Bike Lanes in Corona Times: Do it Bremen!

Bremen’s 1st “Premium Cycle Route” To Be Completed In 2022

At last the time has come. The start of formal public consultation for the “Wallring” premium cycle route  was announced today by the Senator for Climate Protection, Environment, Mobility, Urban Development and Housing (short: SKUMS).

The “Wallring” is part of the 43 km long premium cycle route D 13 from Bremen Farge to Mahndorf, which is intended to allow cyclists* to circumvent Bremen’s city centre in a comfortable and fast way.  At today’s press conference, the Senator highlighted the Wallring as part of the new reality and a symbol of Bremen’s transport transition.

Further details and the design concept can be found in the press release of the senate. The public consultation phase will be relatively rapid so that construction can start in summer 2021 and be completed in autumn 2022.

Parkallee in Bremen: Missing the Target

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait?


The “new” Parkallee, half in red, Foto: Beatrix Wupperman

Parkallee in Bremen is part of a planned Premium Route for cycling that runs from the university in the north to the city centre. For too long, this 500 metre section between Am Stern and the city’s main railway lines has dominated discussions and negotiations. How can cyclists can traverse this section safely and quickly? Continue reading Parkallee in Bremen: Missing the Target

Seeing Red

Bremen’s tortuous route to something resembling a Cycling City took another step forward this month with the re-surfacing of the oft-plagued cycle street Parkallee.

Regular readers of our blog will know that this semi-main artery for through traffic – it is one of the less-busy branches off the 30,000-vehicles-per-day Stern roundabout – has already been the subject of various traffic management experiments. In every case, proposals have involved the removal of existing cycleways on either side of the road, and their replacement with some form of on-road cycling. Each proposal has been dogged by conflicting demands. In an area with relatively high car ownership, local residents have been routinely double parking their vehicles on this dual carriageway street. Cyclists have been looking for more space than the ageing cycleways offer, not least as the street will be a key stretch of Bremen’s first Premium Cycle Route Continue reading Seeing Red

Bremen’s First Premium Route

When a cycling city like Bremen, with a cycling modal share of 25%, announces its flagship cycling infrastructure initiative of this parliament, you would expect at least some bold and innovative measures. The name of the flagship policy – Premium Routes – certainly trumpets the idea that these will be even better than the existing, substantial, cycling network. Continue reading Bremen’s First Premium Route