Southern Forecourt at Hoechst railway station
Project description
Reason for planning
With 12 tracks, the station in Höchst is the second biggest in Frankfurt. The intention behind the three-stage redevelopment was to restructure the entire station and its surroundings such that there was a clear layout that was of a high quality, fit for purpose, and could be used by everybody. Footpaths, orientation, time spent in the station, parking, public transport, bicycles and moving traffic are taken into consideration in an appropriate manner. At the same time, the heritage preservation of the station building and of the Bruno-Asch-Anlage area of greenery has been, and indeed will continue to be complied with in the design of the public domain. All the stages are part of the “Making Frankfurt More Attractive” program.
Parallel to the redevelopment of the public areas, Deutsche Bahn AG made the station wheelchair-accessible.
Development area
The redevelopment of the area to the south of the station includes the construction of a bus station, the redesign of the station forecourt as well as a new traffic system along and the enhancement of Dalbergstrasse and Adolf-Häuser-Strasse between Albanusstrasse and Ludwigshafener Strasse. The Park & Ride car park to the east of the station building will be completely revamped.
In the previous stage of the project in 2014, the forecourt to the north of the station was redeveloped, the parking spaces put in order and a new, attractive parking facility for bicycles erected.
The first stage of the project, involving a new traffic system for and the redesign of the Dahlberg junction and Dalbergstrasse, as well as the illumination of the underpass beneath Königsteiner Strasse was completed in 2006. At the same time the Frankfurt Parks Department revamped the Bruno-Asch-Anlage area of greenery in line with heritage specifications.
The scope of the three stages is displayed in the attached pdf.
Planning objectives
The new bus station to the south of the station is used by 12 bus routes, two of which also operate at night. Two large new roofs protect passengers waiting at the bus stops from the weather. The roofs were designed such that the space beneath is as light and clear as possible and they are in keeping with existing bus stop roofs in Frankfurt. Furthermore, with regard to the design of the roofs the focus was also on making them as restrained and transparent as possible, so as not to compete with the heritage station building in the immediate vicinity.
In terms of basic shape, the bus station was designed to be as compact as possible. This means that to the north there is space available for development and as such for an urban boundary.
The bus stops have digital displays showing the times of arrival of the busses. At the eastern end of the island there are plans for a further, large digital panel showing the arrival of all the busses in a single display, thus providing passengers with the very best assistance. In November 2019 12 new trees will also be planted here.
The new forecourt in front of the station will be completed in stages over the next six months. In terms of design it is spacious with a clear layout, and a group of three threes will line the road. With regard to the materials used, it will resemble the forecourt to the north and boast high-quality basalt paving. In future there will be an inlet in the ground in an exposed section of the forecourt so that it will be possible to put up a Christmas tree.
The sidewalk opposite the station forecourt was visibly expanded and put in order. The installation of underground glass containers increased the overall clarity. In fall 2019 the strips of greenery on the southern edge of the sidewalk will be enhanced, and roses planted.
Dalbergstrasse and Adolf Häuser Strasse will be totally revamped, widened for two-way traffic and will feature high-quality streetlamps. Wherever possible more unsealed areas will be made available for trees’ root zones and new trees will be planted in any existing gaps. The parking spaces on both sides of Dalbergstrasse will be reorganized.
Throughout the development area guidance systems for the blind and visually impaired will be integrated in the sidewalks, and curbs lowered to street level at crossings, thereby guaranteeing that the public space is barrier-free.
Project progress
On the basis of the resolution 39 adopted by the City Council on May 12, 2016 relating to the presentation of the M77 construction and financing documentation, the project was out for tender, with construction work in the western section of the development area at Ludwigshafener Strasse beginning in October 2017. Since then the sidewalks along Adolf-Häuser-Strasse have been totally revamped, the root zones of existing trees improved and enlarged and the new bus station featuring the new roofs over the waiting areas built.
In December 2018 Mr. Mike Josef and Mr. Klaus Oesterling, the heads of the Department of Planning and Transport respectively, officially opened the bus station and after just one year’s construction time bus services were resumed at the new, old location.
As of the second quarter of 2019 the pedestrian areas and parking spaces on Dalbergstrasse as far as the intersection with Albanusstrasse have been realigned, and the carriageway resurfaced. The beds of the row of linden trees were extended as far as possible without this being to the detriment of parking spaces. With the resurfacing work completed, the road can be used in both directions. The project was completed in Q4 2019 by paving the large new forecourt in front of the station building using high-quality natural stone and the Deutsche Bahn AG Park & Ride site was given a complete makeover. As planned, the transport-related redevelopment work was completed in mid-December 2019.
Since the end of May 2020, work has been ongoing on the greenery. The green zones in the section Adolf-Häuser-Strasse 14 corner of Leunabrücke and in front of the parking spaces at the Civic Affairs Office had suffered from the construction measures and have been planted anew. Moreover, a total of 18 new trees were planted, 12 of them at the new bus stop facility. Work was concluded in fall 2020 and the construction measures thus concluded.