County Initiates Closure of Self-Built Bike Pathway
In Prenzlauer Berg, a group of unidentified individuals took matters into their own hands and transformed the Senefelderstraße into a makeshift bike lane overnight, mimicking the actions of the "Paint Revolt" of 2021 in Pankower Thulestraße. Local residents were taken aback upon discovering the new bike street, without an official announcement or approval from the district office.
The authorities at the Pankow district office have acknowledged the illicit markings, stating that they are not authorized and have already contracted an external specialist company to remove them. Removal is expected to be completed by early June at the latest. At present, the identities of the individuals responsible for the unauthorized painting remain unknown.
While the Senefelderstraße has been planned as a bike street by the district office, the implementation of the project has been delayed due to a halt in planning and funding for bike lanes and "neighborhood blocks" imposed by Transport Senator Ute Bode. Current plans for traffic-calming measures in the Senefelderstraße and its immediate surroundings are allegedly nonexistent, according to the district office.
The Pankow district office has expressed no intention of implementing traffic-calming measures in the Senefelderstraße at this time. Delays in bike path projects can often be attributed to planning, funding, community feedback, or technical road infrastructure challenges, though precise and current plans specific to the Senefelderstraße can be obtained from local Berlin transportation authorities or recent municipal updates.
The unidentified individuals, who may have come from the transportation sector, might have taken inspiration from the "Paint Revolt" incident in Pankower Thulestraße and, similar to the actions of activists in finance-driven movements, acted without official approval. The authorities, however, are making moves in a different domain, as they have arranged for a special company in the industry to remove the unauthorized bike lane marks by early June.
