uni'alumni 2016

A Wide Bed for the Dreisam RENATURATION Straight no more: A roughly kilometer- long stretch of the Dreisam between Sandfangweg and the youth hostel on Freiburg’s east side has been restored to its natural state. Freiburg’s river can now wind its way along a bed that is almost twice as wide as the old one. It extends into the adjacent Kartaus mead- ows, and the embankment is flattened. The floodplain lies somewhat higher than the actual riverbed, so the Dreisam keeps to its previous route when water levels are low. When they rise, however, the river has plenty of room to spread out. Then the trees in the newly designed ter- rain rise like little islands out of the water. Freiburg’s citizens are enjoying their new recreation area. Children splash around in the shallow water, students lie on the banks reading, and joggers love the attractive broad path snaking along the new section. Large rocks invite walk- ers to sit down and enjoy the view of the Dreisam Valley. A citizens’ association plans to collect donations for wooden benches to set up along the new river- bank. But humans aren’t the only ones to benefit from the renaturation. The new stone dams along the renatured stretch make for a more variable current, creating areas that are suitable even for small animals. Such structures provide an ideal biotope for species of fish like salmon to spawn. Environmental conservation groups therefore expect the species diversity to increase in and around the Dreisam – in other words, everyone feels at home in the new environment. Claudia Füßler The quintet is complete again: The Freiburg tram network had to do with- out line number 4 for almost 10 years, but now it’s back. Launched in Decem- ber 2015, the new line connects the University Medical Center, the Mooswald neighborhood, and the grounds of the convention center to the tram network. The tram is accordingly called the “con- vention center line.” For the time being, it leaves from the Faculty of Engineering every ten minutes during the day and every 15 minutes in the evenings, mak- ing its way along Berliner Allee and Breisacher Straße toward Technisches Rathaus, the main train station, and Bertoldsbrunnen. It then passes by Siegesdenkmal and Hornusstraße on its way to the terminal just before Gundel- fingen. Extra trains are deployed for large-scale events at the convention center. The Freiburg public transportation authority VAG aims to complete the line by late 2017. It will then run past the Faculty of Engineering and on toward a terminal loop at Hermann-Mitch-Straße. VAG is also laying new tracks in the city center at the moment – for the new tramline to Siegesdenkmal via Kronen- straße, which will change the route of line 5. Automobile traffic will be rerouted from Werthmannstraße and Rotteckring, which will only have limited access for motor vehicles, to the artery along the main train station. The redesigning of the Platz der Alten Synagoge will create a barrier-free junction at the Stadttheater tram station – the only one at which all five lines will stop in the future. In addi- tion, the pedestrian zone will be greatly enlarged, extending all the way to the main train station. Claudia Füßler Number 4 Is Back The new line runs from the city center to the Faculty of Engineering and the convention center grounds via Breisacher Straße and Berliner Allee. Photo: Thomas Kunz TRAMS Freiburgers enjoy using the restored stretch of the Dreisam as a recreation area. Photo: Thomas Kunz 33 City Life uni'alumni 2016

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