Berlin Proposes Converting An Abandoned Space Into An All-Green 6-Mile Bike Path

Over the past few years, Germany has slowly emerged as one of the leaders in the green movement. This fact was solidified last month when a report confirmed that eighty-five percent of all electricity consumed in Germany was produce through renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass, and hydroelectric power). As such, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that a community is hoping to transform an abandoned space beneath Berlin’s elevated subway into a verdant, six-mile long boulevard for bikers to enjoy. If the proposal, which is called the Radbahn Berlin, is passed, it would have a significant impact for commuting through the city, as the project is centrally located in the core of the city, allowing for more eco-friendly commutes to and from work.

The bike path would run alongside the Landwehr trench (also called the Landwehr canal) for some six miles through the heart of Berlin.

Following the long path of the Landwehr trench—a narrow body of water commissioned in 1840 by the Prussian King Frederick William IV— Berlin’s elevated U1 subway line connects thirteen stations by cutting across the city from west to east. As such, it's the among the more efficient ways to navigate central Berlin. Radbahn Berlin, which is led by a team of local specialists and community leaders, have envisioned a world where the derelict space below the U1 is transformed into a covered bike path that is lined with trees and plants. What's more, the group would like to include bike service stations, and recreational areas for cafes and food trucks along the six-mile long pathway. There has been no announcement as to when the project may or may not be approved.