Solingen overhauls Ohligs City Ring to prioritise safety and green travel

Solingen is planning major changes to the Ohligs City Ring to boost eco-friendly travel and improve road safety. The city aims to simplify access to the centre, enhance connections to the main train station, and optimise traffic flow. Safety concerns, particularly around conflicts between parked cars, buses, and oncoming traffic, are driving the proposals. A new one-way system is under consideration for the Rennpatt area. This would improve traffic flow, make bus operations smoother, and keep pavements clear. It would also simplify access for buses and heavy goods vehicles onto Bahnstraße.

The project includes creating or expanding barrier-free bus stops to encourage bus use and improve access to the neighbourhood centre. A new barrier-free stop specifically for schoolchildren is also planned.

Parking will be affected by the changes. Eight spaces on Rennpatt will initially disappear due to new no-stopping zones, but the city plans to add eight new spaces by converting a former school bus loading area. However, a total of 35 parking spaces will be lost overall, with the biggest impact on Kottendorfer Straße and Bahnstraße, where 28 spaces will vanish because of new restrictions. The city has not yet clarified whether the lost parking spaces outside Rennpatt can be replaced or where. No overview of the total public parking available in the area has been provided. The political debate will need to weigh whether the benefits of the project outweigh the loss of parking and what alternatives can be offered to residents, customers, and visitors.