UmsteiGERN - Emission-free city center Dortmund

With the "UmsteiGERN" project, the city of Dortmund set itself the goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gases from road traffic in the city center. To achieve this, numerous different sub-projects and campaigns were implemented. Construction and planning projects, mobility management for daycare centers, schools and businesses, solutions for emission-free delivery traffic and a broad-based communication process were designed to encourage people to make as many journeys as possible in Dortmund's city centre on foot, by bike, by public transport or using electric vehicles, thereby achieving significant positive effects for climate protection.

Bicycle lanes and footpaths

The basic idea behind the integrated approach of the 16 individual measures was to create offers and incentives to reduce the use of vehicles with combustion engines. The concept focused on practice and implementation. New, comfortable cycle paths and two-way cycle lanes were to be created along two kilometers of the inner-city Wallring. Pedestrian paths were upgraded. The city also further expanded its pioneering role in the field of e-mobility: Cabs, for example, hold great electromobility potential due to their short distances and long standing times. In order to promote e-taxis, it was therefore planned to give the vehicles priority when picking up passengers at the main station. Standing times can be used for charging processes.

City-wide marketing campaign

In order to reach as many people as possible, a city-wide marketing campaign focused on the example of ambassadors who are already using climate-friendly modes of transport. Under the motto "UmsteiGERN. You change. Dortmund goes further.", cyclists, bus and train passengers, pedestrians and e-car users across the city encouraged their neighbors, friends and colleagues to follow their example of climate-friendly mobility.

Climate-friendly mobility

These and other measures in the project should increase the proportion of climate-friendly journeys into the city. Parent cabs in front of schools and daily traffic jams were to be reduced and the infrastructure of cycle paths and footpaths upgraded. Because what unites the people of Dortmund is a common vision: climate-friendly mobility means better air, more mobility diversity and more space to live for everyone.

Even after the official project period has ended, measures for an emission-free city center will continue to be implemented. The city of Dortmund is continuing to work on climate-friendly mobility in order to further reduce the proportion of motorized journeys.