Berlin's bus lane expansion has been brought to a standstill

Berlin's plans for expanding its bus lane network have hit a significant snag, with the current situation seeing a standstill in development and the potential for the existing bus lanes to shrink.

The complicated web of red tape has been the main culprit in the standstill, causing delays in the expansion. Seven existing bus lanes in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Mitte, Spandau, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Steglitz-Zehlendorf are at risk of being removed, but the responsible party behind this decision remains unclear.

The August 2022 Administrative Court ruling in favour of Zehlendorf residents halted a bus lane project on Clayallee, between Argentinische Allee and Riemeisterstrasse. This ruling set a precedent that disruption of regular traffic flow can only be ordered in "particularly dangerous situations".

State Secretary Claudia Elif Stutz (CDU) is involved in the planning of Berlin's bus lanes, but the future of the network remains uncertain. The Senate has listed 21 bus lane development projects on busy roads like Britzer Damm in Neukölln and Brunsbütteler Damm in Spandau, which have been ordered but not implemented since March of last year.

Designated bus lane markings will be removed from roads across the city, and further expansion of the bus lane network is unlikely in the foreseeable future. A single new bus lane is planned for Ollenhauerstrasse in Reinickendorf, but whether this will be the only addition to the network remains to be seen.

As the situation unfolds, Berliners will have to wait and see if the city's bus lane network will continue to grow or if it will shrink, potentially impacting the efficiency and reliability of public transportation in the city.