Socioeconomic Characteristics and Transportation in Berlin

摘要

When the wall fell in Berlin in November 1989, this city moved back from its decade-long marginal and insular position into the center of a Germany which was reunified shortly afterwards and - from a geographical point of view - into the center of a Europe which was moving closer together. The new capital city has been under construction in Berlin since 1991. The total annual volume of construction is now around $15 billion (30 billion DM). The transfer of the Federal Government and Parliament into the city, the establishment of a new center, the reconstruction of streets, squares and highways - this is a task, which normally spans many decades. However, this task must be completed in the briefest possible space of time. Construction specialists, architects, engineers and politicians face a true challenge. In the final analysis, Berlin's future as a site of commerce and services, as an interface between East and West, North and South, as a significant goods handling center and as an important focus for commercial relationships, including those with Eastern Europe, is dependent upon an intact transportation infrastructure which will ensure mobility in the future, too. The primary goal of the city's traffic policy is therefore to ensure mobility in an intact environment. For this reason, Berlin is also actively participating in the development of new forms of mobility for conurbations on the basis of state-of-the-art information and communication technology.