Cycle path network in the Kronach district already covers 330 kilometers

Three thalers define the geography of the kronach district. Mountains lie between the talers. And that’s where the difficulty lies – especially for cyclists, says angelika kempf of the kronach district road administration.

All three valleys are easily passable thanks to the extensive network of cycle paths. 330 kilometers of signposted bike paths exist in the entire district. Of course, there could always be more, says kempf. More signposted routes are to be added in the current year. New construction projects underway or in the planning stage. Which projects will be implemented first depends on the list of priorities determined by the district council and on the level of demand.

Rough hurdle land acquisition

It takes at least two years from the planning stage to the finished cycle path. What is more often a problem is the acquisition of land. "Once a landowner does not sell, a bike path can not be built, even if everyone wants it", explains angelika kempf. And money also plays a role. The state of bavaria builds many bike paths, but they have to be maintained by the respective communities.

So repair work and winter services have to be organized by the people themselves. And there is no money for all the cycle routes. The construction of a dedicated bike path next to a road is only required when the traffic volume reaches about 1,500 cars per day. So that there is by all means not a separated cycle path at every tramway.

From kronach to the kodeltalsperre and around the barrier, however, you can ride entirely on bike paths. As far as tschirn, it is safe to cycle away from heavy traffic. The situation in the hablach valley is more problematic, says kempf. There, cyclists have to make friends with cycle paths along busy roads. There is also a gap near fortschendorf, where cyclists have to take the federal highway.

Own concept created

To constantly improve the situation for cyclists, the district of kronach – as one of the first in upper franconia – has developed its own cycling concept. In addition to an inventory, sensible main routes, secondary routes and a supplementary network were defined, in which all national and international cycle routes are also integrated. The concept is constantly being developed in order to create a network of cycle paths in the district of kronach that is as safe as possible for traffic, is coherent and extends beyond the district, with connections to the neighboring districts and as far as thuringia. Above all, a completely new, uniform signposting system has been put in place to identify near and far destinations. Every year, around 800 signs are checked for correctness, cleanliness and visibility, so that cyclists in the district of kronach can always find their way.

Due to the current corona crisis, there are noticeably more cyclists on the roads. Bicycle traffic is increasing, which is also due to the fact that e-bikes make bicycling easier for many people, and now even those who did not dare to ride many of the bicycle routes in the district are venturing out on their bikes, says kempf.

Cycling for fun

And yet the district of kronach will not develop into a stronghold for cyclists. "In the countryside, people are dependent on the car", says angelika kempf. Unlike in big cities, you don’t save time here by switching from car to bike to avoid traffic. Shopping here is mostly done by car, because of the rural structure and the existing topography. The reasons for cycling here are different: "in the district of kronach, people ride bicycles because they enjoy it."

For those who don’t want to struggle over the mountains, there are many places in the frankenwald where they can be dropped off by bike bus and ride the valleys from there. For this reason, the district of kronach has joined forces with the deutsche bahn to offer a special service: anyone traveling on the franken-thuringen-express who gets off in the district of kronach can take their bicycle with them free of charge. From bamberg or thuringia, you can easily travel to the district of kronach by train, and from there you can change to your bike.

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