Haldensleben/Bernburg. With around €6.26 million from the federal government's special "Stadt und Land" programme and a further €1.27 million from EU ERDF funding, the Börde and Salzland districts can launch six projects for new cycle paths, the expansion of footpaths and cycle paths, and the design of a comprehensive signage concept in the Börde district. The money will be used to build a total of 11.8 kilometres of new cycle paths.
District Administrator Markus Bauer and his counterpart Martin Stichnoth received the funding decisions from Saxony-Anhalt's Minister for Infrastructure and Digital Affairs, Lydia Hüskens, on Thursday of the first week of December in Haldensleben. The Salzland district had applied for funding for two projects and entered into a cooperation agreement with the neighbouring district for a new cycle route between Unseburg in the municipality of Egelner Mulde and Altenweddingen in the Börde district on district road 1261. The Salzland district is also responsible for the planning and upgrading of the six-kilometre stretch. Realisation is being carried out in close coordination with the Börde district. An investment of just over 4.3 million euros is planned, 90 per cent of which is being funded by the federal government. The funds will be divided roughly equally between the two districts involved. The Salzland district also received a funding commitment for a second project, new cycle and pedestrian traffic facilities in the Aschersleben through road.
"We have already had many positive experiences with our challenging infrastructure projects in inter-municipal cooperation," said District Administrator Markus Bauer at the handover ceremony. "Many things simply work better together. And for the Salzland district, climate-friendly, sustainable cycling connections are part of the strategic direction. With our future strategy Salzlandkreis 2030, we want to further develop an attractive residential, business and science location for people in rural areas," he emphasised.
"Mobility means freedom. Freedom also includes a real choice of means of transport. We want people in our Saxony-Anhalt to be able to freely choose all forms of mobility. This requires well-developed infrastructure: safe roads, including bridges, local public transport services and, of course, cycle paths and footpaths. We are working on this. Every day," said the Minister. The subsidised projects are living examples of this. "At the same time, the projects are models of what can be achieved if we pool the financial and human resources of the municipalities and the state," she added.
According to the Minister, people in Saxony-Anhalt make 40 per cent of their journeys on foot and by bike. "Investments in footpaths and cycle paths are therefore money well spent because they increase comfort, accessibility and road safety," concluded Lydia Hüskens.