City revises planning draft for the renovation of the Main dyke
04.10.2018 – In view of the urgent need to renovate and strengthen the Main dykes, the City of Offenbach's municipal council has spoken out in favor of revising the planning draft for the dyke lowering at the level of Isenburg Castle, which was approved by the city councillors, in order to expedite the planning approval procedure of the Darmstadt Regional Council (RP).
In a statement to the RP, which was approved by the city council at its meeting on 26 September, the city emphasizes its intention to complete the procedure as quickly as possible, taking all planning aspects into account.
"It is also important for the speedy and economical implementation of the construction measures that the planning approval procedure is carried out for the entire area and that we do not trigger two separate procedures running in parallel due to the originally intended lowering of the dyke," emphasized Paul-Gerhard Weiß, Head of Planning. "The city's aim is to obtain a comprehensive planning approval decision so that we can then also implement the further planning, the award procedure and the construction project for the entire outstanding dyke section from a single source." In the end, this is the most cost-effective way to protect the city from future flood scenarios.
The city has provided this and further details on how to proceed in a written statement to the regional council. This is the response of those responsible to the draft planning approval decision submitted by the RP in April of this year. In this decision, the responsible authority in Darmstadt approved the planning draft submitted by the city with the exception of the controversial lowering of the dyke at the level of Schloßstraße.
Alternative solutions for the connection from the Main to the city
The idea of the opening in the dyke, which can be closed with mobile elements in the event of flooding, aims to open up the city to the Main and make the striking Isenburg Castle more visible from the Main and from the Main riverbank cycle path. This opening was discussed intensively in advance with regard to safety issues, so that a risk analysis prepared on behalf of the city was submitted when the planning approval documents were submitted to the RP.
Although this risk analysis came to a positive conclusion, the RP signaled its rejection of this measure. "As the city had already presented all the relevant issues and these could be included in the RP's considerations, there is nothing more to add from a technical point of view," emphasized Paul-Gerhard Weiß. "This has led us to accept the decision of the RP in the interests of the highest possible level of safety for our citizens."
The Office for Urban Planning, Traffic and Construction Management has now been commissioned to develop alternative solutions to ensure that the desired connection function for pedestrians and cyclists from the Main to the city can continue to be guaranteed. As part of this process, the experts will examine whether, for example, a smaller opening is possible in the area of Herrnstraße instead of lowering the dyke at Schloßstraße. The revised design will also take into account the possible effects of recent urban developments on the dyke, for example the idea of a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Main in the Schloßstraße area or the development of the former Allessa site, which is also planned to be connected to the Main.
"All of these additions will ultimately be presented to the political decision-makers for discussion and decision-making," emphasizes Paul-Gerhard Weiß, but adds: "It is clear that the previous overall concept for the dyke should no longer be called into question and that only minor adjustments can be made." Furthermore, the top priority is to move forward with a tight schedule: The revised plans should be ready by February 2019, with a political resolution planned for spring 2019 so that the documents can be submitted to the RP by May 2019 if possible. Once the planning approval decision has been received, the project decision and the award procedures are to be implemented swiftly. Two to two and a half years of construction time are planned for the renovation and upgrading of the dyke, which will not be able to begin before 2021/22 due to the complex planning and award procedures.