Traffic in Berlin, Germany. Photo by burks_berlin & used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 license.

Berlin considering ways to manage traffic and congestion

The city of Berlin (Germany) is currently considering ways to manage noise and congestion problems suffered on Berlin’s major thoroughfares.

In an attempt to encourage drivers to use more-efficient public transit, a speed limit of 30 kph on main thoroughfares at night is being considered. Many others are currently being considered.

One particular pressing problem in Berlin is that of noise pollution. Traffic on many main streets reaches 80 decibels, even though the recommended limit is 70 decibels by day and 60 decibels at night. One proposal being investigated is to resurface roads with so-called ‘whisper tarmac’, which reduces the amount of noise created by vehicle tires.

Private and commercial vehicles are a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Reducing vehicle use and using alternative forms of transportation and alternative fuels are some approaches to reducing these vehicular emissions. For more information, please visit www.iclei.org/ccp.

Berlin is one of 159 local governments in Europe that are currently Members of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. For more information on ICLEI and its activities in Europe, please visit www.iclei.org/europe.

Source: ‘Berlin Briefing’, The Economist, January 2007.