Rheine. Municipality implements further subsection of the modular mobility concept KOMM Rheine.
The name is a bit unwieldy: “Kommunales modulares Mobilitätskonzept Rheine”. But the abbreviation KOMM Rheine, with the addition “da geht was” is well chosen. Behind it lies an integrated strategy, effective in both the short and medium to long term, for managing mobility behavior and traffic in the city Rheine. One part of the concept adopted by the city’s Building and Mobility Committee Rheine relates to the extension of further 30 km/h speed limit zones. For the areas of Mesum and Elte, the administration is now implementing the elaborated plans for improving traffic safety in the coming weeks.
In Elte, traffic in the streets “Auf der Horst”, “Zum Hermannsweg” and “Zum Hellschlag” will be decelerated. For Mesum, it can be summarized that within the (main) road triangle: Mesumer Straße (K66), Dechant Römer Straße/Burgsteinfurter Damm (L 578) and Rheiner Straße (K66), for which a speed limit of 50 km/h will continue to apply, a large contiguous 30 km/h zone will be created, in which only the rule “right before left” will apply. The biggest change will affect Hassenbrockweg, which is used by many schoolchildren: this road will be downgraded and will no longer be a priority road. New markings, signage and the use of mobile concrete bollards, which will be installed at particularly sensitive points, will support the speed-reducing measures. Implementation to extend the speed-30 zones for Elte and Mesum is scheduled for the end of the year.
Thomas Roling, head of the mobility and traffic planning department, once again names the advantages that result from the lower speed level: “The establishment of the additional Tempo 30 zones leads to an increase in traffic safety, since the health consequences of accidents at lower speed levels are reduced. There is a lower noise impact on residents, as well as a reduction in pollution.”
Scientific findings prove many times that especially the improvement of traffic safety is achieved by the reduction of speed.
For example, the probability of a fatal accident increases exponentially from speeds of 30 km/h to 50 km/h. The increased speeds cause significantly more severe and consequential injuries to the unprotected road user.
In particular, the measure will increase safety on routes to school. Numerous inputs from parents, as well as the results of the foot traffic check from 2021 are the basis for the changes now made. In its statement, the administration points out that the braking distance plays a decisive role, particularly on routes to school or on roads with a high pedestrian crossing requirement: at 27.7 m, the stopping distance at speed 50 is about twice as long as at speed 30 (13.3 m).
Fig. 1 Probability curve for fatal injuries
Last but not least, speed 30 is a building block for environmental protection. Lowering the speed of motor vehicles is an essential contribution to climate protection, as it saves resources and an enormous amount of fuel, and thus also money for motorists. However, the greatest contribution to environmental protection and personal health is to make at least the shortest journeys on foot or by bicycle.