Municipal overall transportation plan for Lenzburg, Staufen and Niederlenz

Lenzburg is one of the Canton of Aargau’s main cities. Together with its surrounding municipalities, it is currently undergoing an intense and consolidating period of development. Indeed, the borders between the city and the municipalities of Staufen and Niederlenz, in particular, have lost their clarity, essentially necessitating a common approach to traffic problems. In light of the existing forces of mutual development, EBP was commissioned to draft a KGV in close consultation with representatives of Lenzburg, Staufen and Niederlenz.

Lenzburg’s significance in the transportation network

Lenzburg plays the role of a transportation hub. For instance, it provides a link to the federal railway and highway networks for the residents of Seetal and Bünztal. It also provides important transportation links to Aarau and Wildegg/Brugg, which in turn has an impact on the main through-roads in Niederlenz and Staufen, as well as other local roads. The current transportation network suffers from overload during peak hours. The road that bypasses the center of Lenzburg is a bottleneck. Other pending transportation and building projects are expected to intensify the problem.

The task of harmonizing transportation and settlement development

Given its basis in zoning law, the canton of Aargau is able to use the KGV as a planning instrument. Its use enables cantonal and municipal officials to detect challenges at an early stage and to prevent the undesirable consequences of uncoordinated transportation and settlement development. The plan’s aim is to coordinate transportation and settlement development and to ensure that the right conclusions are drawn in the context of drafting development ordinances, planning transportation infrastructure, developing transportation services and promoting public transportation.

Development proposals based on careful analysis

After carrying out a comprehensive analysis and identifying a set of goals in consultation with the municipalities, EBP submitted its proposals in the form of a development report and an outline of specific network plans that have since been bindingly approved by the canton as a replacement for the municipal development plan. A group of stakeholders and local representatives were invited to participate in various workshops that were organized and moderated by EBP so that they would have ample opportunity to voice their concerns.

The goals worked out in the workshops reflect various concerns. For instance, a decision was made to expand the existing infrastructure for pedestrian and bicycle traffic so as to improve access to key locations. Attention was given to improved access for private vehicular transport. Efforts to improve the availability of parking space are to be coordinated. Access to key locations via public transportation is to be improved. Combined mobility options are to be expanded. And a mobility management program is to be introduced. The response on the part of the canton of Aargau to all these substantive matters was favorable.