BYPAD - 3x11 goals for active mobility in Mainz
What is the BYPAD?
BYPAD stands for Bicycle Policy Audit and is an internationally recognized, certified audit procedure for evaluating municipal bicycle traffic promotion. BYPAD has been used worldwide for over 25 years, including in European research projects. As part of BYPAD, the city of Mainz has systematically analyzed the status of pedestrian and bicycle traffic promotion, identified strengths and weaknesses, and derived clear areas of action and target values for the future.
The city of Mainz is taking an innovative step in this regard, as Mainz is one of the first cities to consistently expand BYPAD to include pedestrian traffic. This makes Mainz one of the few municipalities to date that considers pedestrian and bicycle traffic to be equally important and integrated.
Why is the BYPAD important for Mainz?
The aim of BYPAD is to sustainably strengthen pedestrian and bicycle traffic in Mainz and to set clear, transparent quality targets for mobility development. Mobility should be climate-friendly, safe, barrier-free, and fair for everyone.
With the political decision on the 3 × 11 targets developed in BYPAD, the city council has for the first time established binding quality standards for active mobility in pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Walking and cycling are thus explicitly recognized as central pillars of a livable city. Particularly important in this context is respectful coexistence in the street space and the protection of vulnerable road users.
What does the process achieve?
The BYPAD process has created a common technical basis for the first time, which has been agreed upon by the administration, politicians, and interest groups. Analysis results, fields of action, and target values were not developed in isolation, but rather in an open exchange and decided upon politically. The 3 × 11 targets bundle these results and make them
permanently usable. Aspects such as accessibility, quality of stay, and safe crossings are clearly identified and bindingly integrated into the quality standards. This creates a consistent overall picture: individual measures interlock, strategic concepts are based on common standards, and mobility in Mainz is gradually being developed in a safe, understandable, and fair manner.
3 × 11 goals - from strategy to implementation in the streetscape
The 3 × 11 targets are incorporated into strategic concepts and planning. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic are deliberately considered together, as are issues such as land use, accessibility, and traffic safety. In practice, the 3 × 11 targets form a central basis for the Mainz cycle network, for measures within the framework of the Mainz Mobility Plan, and for major infrastructure projects such as tram expansion. They help to set priorities transparently, weigh up conflicting goals in a comprehensible manner, and ensure the long-term quality of measures.