Frankfurt's new Lord Mayor Mike Josef visits Offenbach Town Hall

As announced before his election, the new Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main, Mike Josef, visited his counterpart Dr. Felix Schwenke at Offenbach Town Hall last week. The two mayors took the opportunity to discuss future cooperation between the cities of Offenbach and Frankfurt am Main. The first message from the two city leaders: "Good and trusting cooperation between us neighbors is particularly important to us. It is also a good basis for cooperation in the entire region. Because we are small on an international scale: success is best achieved together."

One of the topics discussed by the Lord Mayors was transport and mobility. Specifically, it was about the streetcar ring connection from Frankfurt-Oberrad to Frankfurt-Fechenheim. A feasibility study is currently being carried out in which different routes in the Offenbach area are being examined.

"Even if the project can only become a reality if funding is possible, we believe that the ring closure is the right thing to do," said Josef and Schwenke. The study will form the basis for deciding whether and how the project can be implemented. "Many people commute between Frankfurt and Offenbach, and the trend is rising. Alternatives are needed to prevent congestion on the transport network and to combat climate change. I hope that we will see the streetcar ring closure," emphasizes Mayor Schwenke. At the same time, Offenbach's city leaders hope that funding in this area will remain substantial. The Mayor of Frankfurt is also in favor of the project: "The ring closure would close a gap in the streetcar network. People from both Frankfurt and Offenbach would benefit from the extension. It is therefore an important project for us. As neighbors, close cooperation is also required here."

Josef and Schwenke also discussed the idea of a cable car between Frankfurt and Offenbach. This was presented as a new means of transportation during the regional association's second FrankfurtRhineMain Cable Car Day. "There is not yet enough information available to determine whether the cable car idea could be a serious alternative," Josef and Schwenke say. They therefore advocate gathering more information.

The two city leaders also discussed the situation regarding the private construction project for the KWU towers on the Kaiserlei. Josef and Schwenke discussed the extent to which the two cities could possibly work together on this project.

They got very specific with regard to the upgrading of the sports facility in Brandsbornstrasse. The sports facility has the unique situation that the changing rooms, which were recently demolished due to their dilapidated condition, were located on the territory of the city of Offenbach and the sports field on the territory of the city of Frankfurt. As there are currently no changing facilities, the facility is now only used for school sports at Offenbach's Leibniz School. Both mayors are very interested in the facility being used for club sports again. This requires the conversion of the turf pitch into an artificial pitch and the construction of a new changing room building. Josef and Schwenke agreed to have the conditions for joint school and club use specified. Frankfurt will examine the assumption of costs for the construction of an artificial turf pitch, while the city of Offenbach will determine the costs for the construction of the building. In addition to the question of usage fees, the operating costs of the sports facility must also be regulated. A letter of intent between Frankfurt and Offenbach is being sought for this purpose. The issue of user fees for schools and clubs can then be clarified.

Finally, they discussed possibilities for cooperation in the context of the upcoming evaluation of the municipal financial equalization scheme (KFA). Both mayors emphasized that the Rhine-Main region, as a coherent economic area, must be given appropriate weight in the further development of the KFA.