Munich’s oldest pedestrian zone outside the old town is being expanded: From April onwards, cars are to be largely blocked out on Weißenburger Straße in Haidhausen between Weißenburger Platz and Pariser Platz. Before that, however, there will be extensive citizen participation, announced a representative of the urban mobility department in the Au-Haidhausen (BA) district committee. With this, the authority is also reacting to the loud criticism of the project, especially from tradespeople in Haidhausen’s most important shopping street. The plans for public participation and a staff shortage in the mobility department had led to the start of traffic calming, originally planned for the summer holidays, being postponed.
Now the pedestrian zone on Weißenburger Strasse, which has been car-free between Rosenheimer and Weißenburger Platz since 1975, is to be expanded in the spring – initially on a trial basis for a year. This traffic test was designed to be open-ended, emphasized the representative from the town hall at the BA meeting. “That means that we then make a recommendation for permanent conversion or for a return to the status quo. And then the city council has to decide on that.”
Before the redesign of Weißenburger Strasse begins, the city wants to give residents and local business people the opportunity to have a say. Two information events are planned for October – one for tradespeople and one for the general public. In addition, the mobility department will provide information about the project with flyers, posters and its own website, said the representative of the authority. Further events are planned during and after the traffic test.
Cars are still driving through Weißenburger Strasse between Weißenburger Platz and Pariser Platz, but the pedestrian zone is to be expanded in the spring.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
The impetus for an extension of the pedestrian zone in Haidhausen was given in 2019 by a BA application for the “pedestrian-friendly redesign” of the shopping mile. In November, the city council factions of the Greens/Rosa Liste and SPD/Volt applied for the permanent designation of Weissenburger Strasse as a pedestrian zone – initially in the section between Weissenburger and Pariser Platz. Bicycle traffic should be possible there at walking speed.
Solutions would have to be developed for residents, traders and delivery traffic. Weißenburger Strasse is a “gem in Haidhausen,” according to the application. The designation of a pedestrian zone “supports and enhances its central and emotional importance for the residents of the district”.