Berlin's Graefekiez Gets Major Traffic Calming Makeover
The Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district in Berlin has approved a significant traffic calming measure for the Graefekiez area. Annika Gerold, the district councilor for traffic, green spaces, order, and the environment, has stated that this initiative will enhance the quality of stay, ensure safer school routes for children, and improve access to the playground at Hohenstaufenplatz.
The project, set to commence in early August, will redesign a roughly 50-meter section of Schönleinstraße between Dieffenbach- and Lachmannstraße. This final phase of the Graefekiez redesign is based on legal and planning foundations such as the Berlin Mobility Act and the Urban Development Plan Mobility and Traffic 2030. The goal is to create a safe, quiet, and fairly distributed urban space.
The Hohenstaufenplatz area will no longer be accessible to motorized through traffic, benefiting cyclists and pedestrians. Curb cuts will be installed to improve crossing opportunities, especially at the Dieffenbachstraße corner, and bollards will be placed to allow bicycles but prevent cars from passing. The inner area of the closed street will be designed to be car-free, with plans for de-sealing along existing trees, new benches, bike racks, and possibly areas for gastronomic use.
Previously, in 2023, redesigns were carried out in Böckh- and Graefestraße, reducing car parking spaces and creating green spaces. New sharing offers were also established through Jelbi stations. The permanent closure of another section to through car traffic in Schönleinstraße at Hohenstaufenplatz will further enhance these efforts.
The redesign of Schönleinstraße at Hohenstaufenplatz, set to begin in early August, will complete the Graefekiez's redesign. This measure, part of a comprehensive traffic concept, aims to create a safer, quieter, and more fairly distributed urban space, benefiting both residents and visitors alike.
