We, the residents around Waldemarbrücke, demand safe streets, less noise, and clean air.

Our residential streets Waldemarstrasse, Leuschner– and Legiendamm with cobblestones are used by cars and trucks as a shortcut between east and west. Motor vehicle traffic belongs on main roads – not in residential areas!
We are active and demand that the district offices of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Mitte immediately build the diagonal barriers approved by the BVV FK or install speed-appropriate bumps, alternating perpendicular and parallel parking, and opposing one-way streets. According to the BVV’s priority list, the diagonal barriers won’t come for another 10-12 years.

Join us: subscribe to the newsletter waldebruecke@posteo.de, attend our meetings, inform the public, write to authorities, inform the press, use social media, contact politicians

More information “Our application to both district offices“, “Traffic in the scar”

Mitte is doing it

In June 2026, the district of Mitte closed Michaelkirchstrasse. We are pleased. But that won’t be enough. The shortcut towards Schillingbrücke remains attractive. Motor vehicles now drive through Melchiorstrasse, which is only open to bicycles and residents.

The district of Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain is only planning “smaller measures for speed calming and improving the crossing situation in Waldemarstrasse” and refers to the Mitte district.

Berlin, 20 May 2026

Residents’ initiative against through traffic around the Waldemar Bridge

c/o Tom Albrecht, Leuschnerdamm 19, 10999 Berlin, tom28@tomalbrechtart.de

To

District Office Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg of Berlin

District Councillor Annika Gerold

Petersburger Straße 86-90
10247 Berlin

To

District Office Mitte of Berlin

District Councillor and Head of the Department for Public Order, Environment, Nature, Roads and Green Spaces Christopher Schriner

Rathaus Mitte
Karl-Marx-Allee 31,
10178 Berlin

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are sending you our urgent request and ask for swift implementation. Please also let us know what you are planning, and when.

Kind regards

T. Albrecht, spokesperson

Who we are

As residents on Leuschnerdamm, Legiendamm and Waldemarstraße (North), on the edges of Berlin Kreuzberg and Mitte, we are affected here in the neighbourhood by fast, loud and dangerous through traffic over Waldemarstraße, Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm on cobblestones. We have been working for many years to change this. Numerous local residents support us in our goal of sustainably improving quality of life here on the ground.

Our activities, e.g. for Waldemarstraße North in Morgenpost Berlin, 3 Feb 2023 https://tinyurl.com/yc46wwe2

Our problem

Through traffic by motor vehicles creates noise, danger for us and children, and fine particulate pollution.

Motor vehicles avoid the main roads and drive from

– Oranienplatz via Leuschnerdamm towards Bethaniendamm and from

– Engeldamm onto Legiendamm to Oranienplatz. From

– Michaelkirchplatz onto Legiendamm

– Illegally from Leuschnerdamm via Michaelkirchplatz onto Michaelkirchstraße.

– From Sebastianstraße and Luckauer Straße via Waldemarstraße onto Leuschnerdamm or further along Waldemarstraße.

We assume that the closure at Michaelkirchplatz announced for Q2 2026 will hardly reduce the traffic flow, but will shift it to Engeldamm and Bethaniendamm.

In our residential area, we endure a rush hour on cobblestones every morning and evening.

Our measurements show (see below): Motor vehicles significantly and regularly exceed the speed limits of 10 (Waldemarstr. West), 20 (Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm North) and 30 km/h (Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm South). Almost 65% of road users on the cobblestones are loud motor vehicles, including an even louder 15.52% trucks.

We have contacted the authorities several times. Temporary speed cameras and speed displays have no effect.

The bollards in front of Wirtshaus Henne (corner of Leuschnerdamm / Waldemarstraße) are often hit by motor vehicles turning too fast from Waldemarstraße into Leuschnerdamm. The administration has already replaced the historic bollards with heavy steel pipes. The marker posts at the corner of Leuschnerdamm at Oranienplatz are also damaged.

At the Legiendamm/Waldemarstraße intersection, motor vehicles coming from Waldemarstraße towards the bridge cause accidents due to excessive speed.

Except for Legiendamm North, all streets are paved with cobblestones that generate noise.

As residents, we do not want to wait any longer until the agreed diagonal closures on the Kreuzberg side are implemented as part of a Kiezblock to the left and right of the Waldemar Bridge. With the capacities of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district office, the current plan is estimated to take another 12 years as of 2026.

Our presentation on the modal filters at Waldemar Bridge (16 pages, Google Doc): https://tinyurl.com/bdzd429t

YouTube video shows traffic that is too fast and too loud from Legiendamm (Mitte) onto Waldemarstraße (North) in the 10 km/h zone: https://tinyurl.com/3d3ebc9j

YouTube video shows traffic that is too fast and too loud from Dresdner Str. onto Legiendamm (Mitte) in the 10 km/h zone  https://tinyurl.com/twezfkp2

Our demands

1. We want through traffic to be prevented in the residential area of Waldemarstraße from Dresdner Straße to Adalbertstraße, and on Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm from Oranienplatz to Engelbecken, using measures that can be implemented quickly, and for the existing speed limits to be enforced.
2. We propose speed-appropriate humps, alternating perpendicular and parallel parking, and opposing one-way streets to the district offices of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Mitte. (District Office Mitte is responsible for Leuschner- and Legiendamm north of Waldemar Bridge; other streets mentioned here are District Office FK)
3. We prepared maps of our area with the proposals for this, see below.
4. Candidates for the House of Representatives (AGH): We want them, as members of the Senate, to support the district offices with staff and resources to implement the planned Kiezblocks. We are holding talks.
5. Candidates for the district council (BVV): We want them to advocate for solving our problem in “their” district office. We are holding talks.

We propose speed-appropriate humps or alternating perpendicular and parallel parking, each supplemented with opposing one-way streets, to the district offices of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Mitte.

Reasons

– Our residential streets are losing their quality of life due to fast-moving through traffic.

– Road noise penetrates our living and sleeping rooms on the street side.

– We have daycare centres in the area. Their children have to cross the dangerous streets:
Kindergärten City, Leuschnerdamm 33, 10999 Berlin,

Kita Bethaniendamm, Bethaniendamm 63/65, 10999 Berlin

Kita Sankt Michael, Dresdener Str. 29, 10999 Berlin

Kinderhaus Waldemar, Waldemarstraße 57, 10997 Berlin

Kita Adalbertstr. 87&88 (Kotti e.V.)

– Special-needs supported living for children and young people, Michaelkirchplatz 3, 10179 Berlin

– Music school Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg at Mariannenplatz 2, 10997 Berlin.

– Educational support facility of the Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus at Mariannenplatz 3

– A large facility for homeless people with addiction issues SIEFOS at the corner of Waldemarstraße/Legiendamm

– School routes to
City Primary School, Sebastianstraße 57, 10179 Berlin

Luisenstadt Primary School, Adalbertstraße 53, 10179 Berlin

kinderlabor curioso, Waldemarstraße 57, 10997 Berlin

Heinrich Zille Primary School, Waldemarstr. 118

Nürtingen Primary School, 10997 Berlin

Freie Schule Kreuzberg, Wrangelstr. 128 10997 Berlin

Refik Veseli School, Wienerstr. 64-65, 10999 Berlin

– Conflict between street noise and relaxation in the “Luisenstädtischer Kanal” park

We document our problem with ongoing measurements using a Telraam device at Leuschnerdamm 19. The results can be viewed online: https://telraam.net/home//9000010774

Copy to:

Kiezblock Kreuzberger Luisenstadt

Kiezblock Northern Luisenstadt

Changing Cities e.V.

BV Northern Luisenstadt Berlin

See also https://www.tomalbrechtart.de/verkehr-in-der-narbe/

Waldemarstraße, Legien- and Leuschnerdamm on the border of the Kreuzberg and Mitte districts, with their cobblestone streets, are being used by north-south transit traffic at excessive speeds. After reunification, the city grew together with a scar that motor vehicle traffic uses as a shortcut.

Through traffic flows from-
– Oranienplatz via Leuschnerdamm towards Bethaniendamm, – Engeldamm onto Legiendamm to Oranienplatz
– Michaelkirchplatz onto Legiendamm
– Sebastian- and Luckauerstrasse via Waldemarstrasse onto Leuschnerdamm or further along Waldemarstrasse.

Drivers ignore the 10, 20, and 30 speed limit signs. This creates noise, danger, and fine dust for us residents! Crashes frequently occur at intersections. The bollards, for example, in front of the Henne Tavern and at Oranienplatz are regularly knocked over due to excessive speed. Reports to the police via the online portal achieve little. Even if they do measure, traffic is back to being too fast after three days.

We are residents with windows facing cobblestone streets, with children whose school routes, we have three daycare centers in the neighborhood and the social project for people with disabilities. 
As residents, we want safety, peace and quiet, quality of life, and climate adaptation!

2026: As residents, we no longer want to wait for the approved diagonal filters to be implemented on the Kreuzberg side as part of a Kiezblock to the left and right of the Waldemar Bridge. With the capacities of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district office, the current plan for diagonal filters in 2026 will still take at least 10 years.

Hit bollards indicate speeding traffic

Berlin’s Senate, previously led by the CDU, does not want any Kiezblocks and is giving the districts too little money for bollards and staff to install them.

Already after the fall of the Wall, we founded a Traffic Working Group in the Luisenstadt Citizens’ Association and demanded speed bumps on Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm.

2025: Residents of Waldemarstrasse are fighting back with a petition. 

Now, before the election on September 20, 2026, for the Berlin House of Representatives, we interviewed candidates about their support for Kiezblocks. We also borrow devices that measure noise, speed, and the number of motor vehicles, e.g., Telraam, to document our problem! Our first device at Leuschnerdamm 19 has shown since April 23, 2026, that on the cobblestones almost half of the motor vehicles drive too fast and that motor vehicles make up 72% of the main traffic ahead of pedestrians and cyclists.

We founded a residents’ initiative “Around the Waldebrücke Speeders Out!” on Fri. 6.3.2026. If you’re interested in joining, please contact: waldebruecke[at]posteo[dot]de

We demand

– One-way streets against traffic from the Mitte district office

– Speed bumps or alternatively

– Alternating perpendicular and parallel parking, and the

– Closure of Michael-Kirchstrasse behind St. Michael’s Church by the Mitte district office!

For this, we need activities from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg District Office for Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm from Oranienplatz to Waldemarbrücke and for Waldemarstrasse, and from the Mitte District Office for Leuschnerdamm and Legiendamm from Waldemarbrücke to Annenstrasse!

Stop the street racing rally!

This is how AI imagines our future

Documentation of an exhibition 2024 by residents about their house Leuschnerdamm 19 in Berlin 10999

Here is a quick video tour

Mineral water transported by truck and fossil fuels, often in plastic bottles, often brought in from afar, even though it comes conveniently from the tap: highway water.