Mobycon has been asked to develop a downtown mobility concept for the City of Osterode, Germany, based on social equity and reduction of negative environmental impacts like CO2.
Osterode am Harz is a small city in the middle of Germany. The city is facing several challenges including a high level of private car ownership and usage, as well as shops and services in the city center struggling economically. Using Mobycon’s Mobility Donut concept, discussions were facilitated about the different relevant themes in transport poverty (e.g. cycle ownership, ability to use public transport) and excess (e.g. noise and air pollution) with the municipality as well as local stakeholders. Two workshops were organized with stakeholders. The first workshop focused on raising awareness and discussing current challenges related to mobility poverty and excessive mobility. For the second workshop, goals and potential solutions for these challenges were discussed. A Mobility and Downtown Vision for Osterode were created based on the findings and additional research and analysis. From the vision, different measures were developed and best practices shared in hopes to inspire stakeholders and local government. Osterode will have to decide which measures they want to pursue that are best suited for their local challenges so that they can future-proof for the upcoming decade.