City and HfG research the combination of different modes of transportation

The aim of the "InterMoDe - Designing the municipal intermodal mobility system" project is to combine road and rail mobility in such a way that a transport revolution can be brought about. The project will continue until August 2026. The approval of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) enables the multi-year cooperation between the City of Offenbach and the Offenbach Institute for Mobility Design (OIMD) at the Offenbach University of Art and Design (HfG) to be extended. "For the city of Offenbach, the focus of mobility design is on people," emphasizes Mayor and Head of Mobility Sabine Groß and explains: "A strategic approach for a mobility system will be developed using our city as an example. It should ensure a smooth combination of walking, cycling, sharing and public transport for all Offenbach residents." Mayor Groß is pleased that the continuation has been secured and emphasizes: "The project is making a contribution to overcoming current challenges. An improvement in the use of walking, cycling and public transport can contribute to a shift away from private transport. In this way, we can minimize land consumption, emissions, noise and congestion and improve the quality of life and health of citizens."

In phases I and II, the intermodal understanding and everyday use of intermodal mobility services by users were examined and concepts for a municipal intermodal mobility system were developed. The third phase of InterMoDe III builds on these results and focuses on their transfer and consolidation. The plan is to further develop the transport system database created in the project into a mobility portal. So far, the database has made it possible to identify and determine the potential of intermodal interfaces in the urban area. In addition, the concepts are to be incorporated into planning and implementation projects in the city of Offenbach, such as the ideas competition for the main railway station, as well as at regional level in cooperation with the FrankfurtRhineMain regional association and the partner municipality of Hanau.

Guided by the aim of placing people as the starting point for planning and design processes, a vision for an "intermodal municipal mobility system in Offenbach in 2045" is being developed with the involvement of administration, business, science and civil society. The vision of the future illustrates future mobility and makes it possible to experience it using virtual reality (VR).

The use of VR technology has already proven itself as an innovative participation and research format in the second project phase. In August 2023, 62 Offenbach residents had the opportunity to virtually experience a transfer situation in the VR Lab and provide feedback on the VR simulations they experienced. "By using modern technologies, the VR Lab represents a new way of participation that enables citizens to get actively involved in shaping processes. Its use is particularly promising in the field of mobility," says Mayor Sabine Groß. In mobility research and planning, VR also has the potential to test and validate the impact of existing mobility spaces. It has been shown that the design can have a positive influence on the perception and acceptance of intermodal mobility by users. In Phase III, the project aims to build on these positive experiences.