So there will be no bicycle street in Oberhaching after all. At least not on the Linienstrasse. That’s not a big surprise. Because if you look at this connection along the railway line by simply driving along it – whether by car or bike – it quickly becomes clear: That can’t work here. The people of Oberhaching know that even without visiting the site, they know their street. Too many junctions, too many entrances for only bicycles to be allowed to drive here. And a fake bike lane that would also allow cars would be a very dubious improvement for cyclists. You don’t need a feasibility study for such insights.
And yet the people from Oberhaching commissioned such an expertise, 48 pages long and very detailed. With such an effort, one could almost think that it should be examined whether an eight-lane motorway should be built through the town. No, it was only about a bicycle street, possible one-way street regulations that nobody wants anyway, and a lot of signs that would have to be put up. Now they can at least file the written proof in the town hall that the idea of a bicycle street is not so good after all and it is better to leave it alone. So if someone makes such a suggestion again, you can refer to the experts.
You could have saved yourself the hassle and money. The gain in knowledge is very limited. However, Oberhaching is not alone in obtaining expert opinions on decisions that a municipal council could easily make without external experts. Everywhere, planning companies and urban development offices are commissioned with reports, studies and surveys, even if it’s only a 30 meter walk. But that only makes sense for really big projects. But apparently there is a great fear among local politicians that someone could accuse them of making crap decisions. Anyone who can rely on experts thinks they are on the safe side. The municipal council is elected to make decisions. And he should trust himself. Sometimes even without a feasibility study.