Project Schwarzbachtrasse
The Schwarzbachtrasse runs for about 2 km from the former Wichlinghausen railway station past the Hilgershöhe residential area to Langerfeld and connects about 50,000 more citizens to the Nordbahntrasse. Due to its narrow width - it was only a single-track railway line, unlike the Nordbahntrasse - there are no separate areas for pedestrians and cyclists. The route is paved like the Nordbahntrasse’s outer city parts.
This does not deminish its attractiveness. The 29 m high bridge over the Schwarzbach road, a 280 m long tunnel and deep rock incisions are special elements. Public interest was big from the beginning. Several hundred people took part in guided tours of the route.
Many also took part in the citizens' action to clean up the route at the beginning of the construction work.
This does not deminish its attractiveness. The 29 m high bridge over the Schwarzbach road, a 280 m long tunnel and deep rock incisions are special elements. Public interest was big from the beginning. Several hundred people took part in guided tours of the route.
Many also took part in the citizens' action to clean up the route at the beginning of the construction work.
Wichlinghausen Tunnel
Public walk on the track before construction
Citizens' action: litter removal
Like the Nordbahntrasse, the route is owned by the city of Wuppertal, which bought the land from the railway company. However, WUPPERTALBEWEGUNG was the developer of the route and the direct recipient of the federal subsidies - in other words, unlike the Nordbahntrasse, without the city of Wuppertal acting as an intermediary. It had obtained a heritable building right from the city for the time of the reconstruction and the first five years afterwards, so that, unlike with the Nordbahntrasse, it could freely and solely work on the track, especially during the construction period.
Zu den Gesamtkosten von gut 3,6 Millionen € bewilligte das Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und nukleare Sicherheit aus Mitteln der Nationalen Klimaschutzinitiative 3,1 Mio. Zuschuss.
Zu den Gesamtkosten von gut 3,6 Millionen € bewilligte das Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und nukleare Sicherheit aus Mitteln der Nationalen Klimaschutzinitiative 3,1 Mio. Zuschuss.
This project was also made possible by citizen commitment. Donations made by citizens and Wuppertal businesses covered the necessary own resources and the high non-subsidised costs such as planning costs, as was the case with the Nordbahntrasse.
Like the Nordbahntrasse, the Schwarzbachtrasse is a project by citizens for citizens!
The reconstruction then took place in 2018/19 and - the WUPPERTALBEWEGUNG is proud of this - remained on time and on budget despite the heated construction cycle.
Like the Nordbahntrasse, the Schwarzbachtrasse is a project by citizens for citizens!
The reconstruction then took place in 2018/19 and - the WUPPERTALBEWEGUNG is proud of this - remained on time and on budget despite the heated construction cycle.
The finale was made by Rainbow Bridge or Lego Bridge 2.0 over Langerfelder Straße: Street artist Martin Heuwold, who already created the first Lego bridge at Schwesternstraße for the Nordbahntrasse in 2011, created a new, larger work with a different color scheme. It is a real eye-catcher in a rather drab environment.
The Corona virus made a postponement of the official opening in spring 2020 unavoidable. It was made up for on 10 September 2020.
Until the end of 2025, the Schwarzbachtrasse is legally a private path of the Wuppertalbewegung, which therefore continues to be responsible for maintenance and safety. Civic involvement remains necessary!
