Right at the start of the first concrete plans, the Stadtbahn-Zweckverband carried out seven route inspections along the entire route network. Between March 11 and October 13, several hundred residents and people interested in the light rail system came to express their wishes and concerns and to find out how the multi-year planning process will proceed. The public dialog is also taking place online via various channels, such as the special-purpose association's social media channels, internet forums and the special-purpose association website with a question and answer form.
"Many citizens are looking forward to the LUCIE light rail system and are calling for it to be implemented quickly," explains Dietmar Allgaier, who is Chairman of the special-purpose association as District Administrator. "At the same time, local residents in particular are demanding that parking spaces and trees are preserved. Our challenge is therefore to find a balance between the wishes of the residents and a route for the light rail that is as trouble-free as possible." This task poses major challenges for the special purpose association and its municipal partners: "But together we will find a good way," says Allgaier optimistically.
"Together with our planners, we will carefully examine proposed solutions for local issues and problem areas and develop them in close coordination with municipal partners," promises Frank von Meißner, Managing Director of the special-purpose association. Particular attention will be paid to noise protection, the best possible location of individual stops and the preservation of trees and, where possible, parking spaces. From (early) summer 2024, the LUCIE team will then present an interim result to the public.
Discussion events and workshops will then be held on the individual sections of the route in order to clarify questions from the public and refine the plans where possible. "We take the wishes of the population seriously, we want to implement planning that is as citizen-friendly as possible and involve people throughout the entire multi-year planning process," says Allgaier.
Milestone:Benefit-cost analysis
The next major milestone following the results of the current preliminary planning is an up-to-date cost assessment for the construction of the light rail network. "We will then enter the cost-benefit analysis: the project only makes economic sense if the economic benefit is higher than the construction and operating costs; and only then will we receive the generous investment cost subsidies of 90% for the Markgröninger Bahn and 75% for the light rail sections, plus additional state funding," explains von Meißner.
Clear cut on the Markgröninger Bahn
In order to be able to start the preliminary planning for the reactivation of the Markgröninger Bahn as part of the future Ludwigsburg light rail system, the existing route must be surveyed, i.e. the current position of structures such as bridges, retaining walls, roads, paths and level crossings must be recorded. For this reason, the vegetation that had grown up since the closure in 2005 was carefully cut back in the relevant areas. The special-purpose association worked very closely with the lower nature conservation authority, carried out an expert assessment of the type and scope of the pruning work before cutting back and also had the work accompanied and monitored by an ecological construction supervisor. "We are taking a very careful and cautious approach to our light rail project, that is our own claim," explains Björn Kochendörfer, Head of Infrastructure and Technology at the special-purpose association.
With the rapidly increasing number of tasks, the special-purpose association team also has to expand in terms of personnel. Following the resolutions on the 2024 business plan and the expansion of staff in August 2023, the Stadtbahn-Zweckverband has now published job advertisements for important positions. These include positions in public relations and citizen participation, experts for traction current supply and overhead lines, transport facilities, environmental and landscape planning as well as project managers. "Our special-purpose association is creating crisis-proof jobs in the area of the transport transition and we hope to receive numerous applicants who want to help us get the LUCIE light rail system on track," says association managing director von Meißner.
At the meeting of the Stadtbahn-Zweckverband, information was also provided about another opportunity for the future: The districts of Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr have decided on a feasibility study (MBS) for the light rail extension to Waiblingen. The Zweckverband Stadtbahn is optimistic that the construction of a light rail line between these economically strong regions makes economic sense and will give an additional boost to the LUCIE light rail system.
"The citizens of the entire district of Ludwigsburg can now see that our LUCIE light rail project is making progress, which fills us with great joy," summarized association chairman Dietmar Allgaier at the end of the association meeting.
Information on the project can be found at www.lucie-stadtbahn.de
