"Now that the engineering planning for the tracks, stops, bridges and culverts has started, further planning packages are due to be awarded," Frank von Meißner, Managing Director of the special-purpose association, informed the association meeting: "This includes environmental planning, specialist reports and specialist planning for noise and vibration or for the signal box and signaling technology and the level crossings," said von Meißner. "We also need a project management team to dovetail the plans, monitor costs and deadlines and take care of the numerous contracts."
The association meeting cleared the way for this: the business plan for 2024 that has now been approved provides for the corresponding expenditure to award these contracts. The budgeted volume for planning work will thus increase significantly to around 4 million euros in 2024. The special-purpose association's workforce will also need to be further increased for this work in 2024 in order to maintain the high project momentum. The special-purpose association's team will grow from around seven employees today to up to 13 employees in 2024: "We will be adding specialists for engineering structures, track equipment, commercial project management and communication," says von Meißner.
The LUCIE light rail system is not only picking up speed in terms of planning. Public participation is also in full swing. A public competition for brand ambassadors for LUCIE met with overwhelming interest. Many more people applied for the photo shoot than could ultimately be considered. "We can see from this that the LUCIE light rail system inspires many people: whether schoolchildren, commuters, students or senior citizens."
The route inspections along the planned routes, most recently in Pattonville and Markgröningen, are also very well attended. The next route inspections are on July 14 in Ludwigsburg-Oßweil and on July 17 in Schwieberdingen (information at www.lucie-stadtbahn.de).
