Motions against through traffic

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.

Setting up speed-appropriate humps and opposing one-way streets in Kreuzberg and Mitte (north of Waldemar Bridge)
Setting up speed-appropriate humps and opposing one-way streets in Kreuzberg and Mitte (north of Waldemar Bridge)
Setting up alternating perpendicular and parallel parking and opposing one-way streets in Kreuzberg and Mitte (north of Waldemar Bridge)
Setting up alternating perpendicular and parallel parking and opposing one-way streets in Kreuzberg and Mitte (north of Waldemar Bridge)

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

The 20 km/h speed limit on Leuschnerdamm is constantly exceeded on the cobblestones, except between 5 and 6 AM.
The 20 km/h speed limit on Leuschnerdamm is constantly exceeded on the cobblestones, except between 5 and 6 AM.
Almost 65% of the traffic on the cobblestones is motor vehicles, including 16% trucks, often with unsecured loads.
Almost 65% of the traffic on the cobblestones is motor vehicles, including 16% trucks, often with unsecured loads.

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/