Hesse Constitutional Court Hears Case on Rejected Traffic Reform Petition

Overview

• The Hessian State Constitutional Court held a public hearing in Wiesbaden on Wednesday to review the state’s rejection of the 2022 ‘Verkehrswende Hessen’ petition, with a decision still to come.
• The petition gathered about 70,000 signatures and called for more bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and stronger local transit to make mobility climate‑neutral and fair by 2030, with safer school routes and better rural options.
• The then black‑green government turned it down as not constitutional, saying the draft went beyond what a state may regulate under federal law.
• State Secretary Ines Fröhlich praised the goals but told the court many demands fall outside state legislation or are too vague, noting Hesse’s 2023 Active Mobility Law that boosts walking and cycling.
• The initiative’s lawyer argued the proposal fits the constitution and could be admitted in part, a step that could clarify the scope of citizen initiatives in the states.