Nobody would expect drivers to push their cars over “Schuman” roundabout

The missed opportunity of the new active mobility link between the Pont Grande-Duchesse Charlotte, commonly named “Roud Breck”, and the Parc Pescatore

A few hours before the opening of new active mobility link between Parc Pescatore and Roud Breck, the publication of following photo led to a Twitter exchange with mobility échevin Mrs. Sam Tanson of City of Luxembourg.

The problem is not the new path to Park Pescatore (top), but the new version of the one going under ‘Roud Breck’ (staircase/ramp): the rebuilt ramp is now so steep, that it seems no longer possible for everyday cyclists to use it

Dismounting and pushing the bike would be new under Red Bridge, the old ramp indeed allowed cycling!

Popular request for more information on that topic was high

Following popular request, here is the outline of this blog post:

1. General overview and summary of active mobility situation around Glacis field with now destroyed Souterrain du Glacis, proximity of Limpertsberg, Parc Pescatore with Pfaffenthal elevator, urban park with Kinnekswiss, Roud Breck and the Rond-Point Schuman
2. The importance of the new active mobility link connecting Paffenthal lift with Roud Breck through Park Pescatore
3. The previously existing and more important than ever active mobility connection permitting to change sides of Roud Breck
4. A missed opportunity between Limpertsberg and Kirchberg for cycling people & wheel chair users ? Very likely!

The following image gives an overview of the more general situation, showing most places being addressed in this blog post

1. General overview and summary of active mobility situation around Glacis field with now destroyed Souterrain du Glacis, proximity of Limpertsberg, Park Pescatore with Pfaffenthal elevator, urban park with Kinnekswiss, Roud Breck and the so-called Rond-Point Schuman

This tweet is older than year: it illustrates that details of the then known plan of how “under the bridge” would be included in project were unclear to the public. No opposition to expect

The opening of Pfaffenthal elevator was a major progress. Suppression of the bike lane on Avenue Victor Hugo and announced demolition of Souterrain du Glacis was bad news for the active mobility community

Especially the demolition of the Souterrain du Glacis — an active mobility only tunnel under boulevard de la Foire — was very controversial, as it now forces walking & cycling people to use the pedestrian crossings with long waiting times and priority for motorised traffic

Gérard Floener from RTL radio even made a feature about the long waiting times active people have daily to endure at so-called Rond-Point Schuman

Jaywalking on Boulevard de la Foire, exactly where you could previously use safe Souterrain du Glacis to cross the road

2. The importance of the new active mobility link connecting Paffenthal lift with Roud Breck through Park Pescatore

The new path between Park Pescatore in direction of Pont Grand-Duchesse Charlotte, aka ‘Roud Breck’

The wait was longer than initially announced, but it’s availability is undeniably a huge progress

The previous small controversy about one segment being made with slippy wood surface fades against the now unveiled steep ramp

The previous small controversy about one segment being made with slippy wood surface (II): the segment made with wood is flat as a pancake and a special treatment will guarantee it’s anti-slippery.

People cycling on the crowded sidewalk of Avenue de la Porte neuve along Park Pescatore (in direction of so-called Rond-Point Schuman) are now images from the past, thanks to the new shortcut to Roud Breck/Kirchberg

When you know that you will wait up to 100 seconds at Rond-Point Schuman’s red light, why not simply use that time efficiently for an additional 200 meters workout climbing #PescatoreCycleway?

So overall, the new active mobility link between Park Pescatore and Roud Breck is great news, it is a progress. In my humble opinion this link is even way more important than the suspended bridge under Pont Adolphe that will be opened soon.

But active mobility on Limpertsberg does not benefit directly from this new infrastructure. At least not how it should have.

Because there is a flaw, unfortunately.

Parc Pescatore near Fondation Pescatore: situation as it was in March 2016 before works started

3. The previously existing and more important than ever active mobility connection permitting to change sides of Roud Breck

Park Pescatore near Fondation Pescatore: situation as it was in March 2016 before works started, including the path suitable for wheel chairs and bicycles leading under ´Roud Breck, which made it possible to change sides of Roud Breck without having to wait at a pedestrian crossing

Those reading a lot about everyday cycling infrastructure have probably read somewhere the analogy of cyclists defending their existing infrastructure against anyone willing to harm it: they are compared to a lioness defending its cubs!

To understand the following points from the view of a car driver or even a bus passenger, it helps to have this analogy in mind.

This is what the North sidewalk of Roud Breck looked like during the works on the now enlarged (and at that time closed) South sidewalk: active mobility completely mixed and this bidirectionally. It was not easy, but it worked.

The news about North sidewalk of Roud Breck, which is currently not accessible because the works for new tram, came recently: that sidewalk will be prohibited for bicycles, on Roud Breck cycling people will have to use the South side! In the above news, Lëtzebuerger Velos-Initiativ already pointed out that the solution to change sides on Roud Breck was not satisfying.

The ‘Souterrain du Glacis’, another specific active mobility infrastructure, has been sacrificed (demolition currently nearly completed) despite a lot of protests from active mobility community

To summarize the point to be made by above tweets: two options for active mobility did recently vanish: the ‘Souterrain du Glacis’ and the right for cycling people to use the future Northern sidewalk of ‘Roud Breck’. In other words: cycling people from Limpertsberg are now doomed to live with so-called Rond-Point Schuman bottleneck. Furthermore, the active mobility plans for Avenue Victor Hugo — for the moment without any dedicated lane for cyclists — remain unclear, as works for tram are still ongoing.

As it now is nearly confirmed that the rebuilt access ramp to the path leading under ‘Roud Breck’ is not suitable anymore for cycling (not to forget about wheelchairs), it becomes comprehensible why this is of concern.

The problem is not the new path to Park Pescatore (top), but the new version of the one going under ‘Roud Breck’ (staircase/ramp): the rebuilt ramp is now so steep, that it seems no longer possible for everyday cyclists to use it

4. A missed opportunity between Limpertsberg and Kirchberg for cycling people & wheel chair users ? Very likely!

The previous underpass allowed cycling under Roud Breck

The bike path near Fondation Pescatore is a hot spot for those going to Kirchberg

This question was asked over a year ago. An unsatisfying answer is now known

There is still a ramp, but one that does not meet elementary accessibility standards as way too steep. It is legitimate to call this part of the project a downgrade of existing infrastructure

With the above tweet it is possible to access thread with reactions of Mrs. Sam Tanson, Echevin mobilité of City of Luxembourg

Infrastructure like the one around Roud Breck is usually not rebuilt often, less than once in a generation. So the disappointment about that downgrade of that Roud Breck underpass for active mobility is for sure justified.

Topological difficulties are the major reason invoked to excuse the downgrade, this non realization of a ramp with an accessible gradient.

Luxembourg : à vélo entre Pescatore et le Pont rouge

Is that really the case, would it really have been impossible to create the new link Park Pescatore to Roud Breck and create an even better underpass for Roud Breck?

I believe no. It would have been possible, but it would probably have cost a bit more.

The yellow discontinued line shows what could have been included in project of new active mobility link Park Pescatore to Roud Breck: access to Limpertsberg without having to cross so-called Rond-Point Schuman, infamous for the long waiting times at his pedestrian crossings. On North side, several connections could have been realised: (1) North sidewalk of Roud Breck, (2) direct access to public space in front of Grand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg and (3) access to an (unfortunately private) side street leading directly to front of Lycée Robert Schuman

It remains unclear how cycling people coming down from Limpertsberg (North) will ride their bicycles to Center (South).

Avenue Victor Hugo (Google Street View 2009): the visible bike lane has since been suppressed, when that road has been remodeled. Currently (2017) there is absolutely no dedicated cycling infrastructure left connecting Limpertsberg with Centre of City of Luxembourg.

With what is currently known and not expecting a miracle anymore, it is now a fact that there will be no way around so-called Rond-Point Schuman waiting times for people cycling from Limpertsberg to Center. A new Roud Breck underpass — accessible from ‘Neien Theather’ and suitable for cycling — could have avoided that.

To summarize this point: Souterrain du Glacis and bike lane on Avenue Victor Hugo are gone, waiting times at so-called Rond-Point Schuman are still unbearable despite all promises, North sidewalk of Roud Breck will in future be forbidden for cycling. And last but not least, the rebuilt access to Roud Breck underpass cannot be cycled anymore, cyclists will have to dismount and carry or push their bikes. Wheel chair users can completely forget about that underpass, because it simply is too steep.

Cartoon about entitled car users: active mobility is a large & diverse community, forgetting or ignoring the needs of wheel chair users is simply not right.

Active mobility community of City of Luxembourg shall never forget that with demolition of Souterrain du Glacis, parking spaces have been created. Schueberfouer use (3 weeks a year) of the new space gained is only an accessory excuse presented as the main reason justifying that demolition.

Roud Breck as it will look like when all works will be finished: do not expect a pedestrian crossing here, cycling & wheel chaired people willing to cross that avenue will have to walk back to Rond-Point Schuman and wait for green. The previous underpass, itself not visible on this image, could be accessed here directly on the left and on the right side.

Roud Breck is literally a highway exit. This place near ‘Neien Theather and ‘Monument Robert Schuman’ should instead have been turned into a public space accessible for all!

With a more complete project for active mobility link Park Pescatore to Roud Breck, one that would have provided a better underpass, some compensation could have been done. It would have made sense. It was doable.

But it did not happen.

That is probably the reason why the new ramp and staircase near Roud Breck is for the moment hidden by wooden panels.

A whole generation of people living their last years in ‘Fondation Pescatore’ will be told:

“No, we can’t push your wheelchair FROM HERE to ‘Neien Theater’ on the other side of ‘Roud Breck’, it is too dangerous. There is an ALTERNATIVE at so-called Rond-Point Schuman! Let’s have a long walk and wait at the red lights, watching cars drive by while we inhale their exhaust pipes.”

The previous ramp was close to design for all, it can be agreed that it was steeper than ideal specifications do recommend nowadays. But the new staircase/ramp is undeniably an obstacle wheelchair users cannot overpass without (a lot of) help. Have they been consulted for this project?

Shame?

Wooden planks to hide the new staircase and ramp leading under ‘Roud Breck’: why?

Initially released on July 27th (date of official Pescatore cycleway opening), this blog post has been edited on July 28th, 2017 to include Avenue Victor Hugo case and additional post opening information.

More live on Twitter:

#RoudBreck #ParcPescatore #PfaffenthalLift #PC2Lux #SouterrainGlacis #RondPointSchuman-Lux #AvenueVictorHugoLux #BoulevarddelaFoireLux