March 2026: Playground Upgrades, Traffic Data, and Construction Planning in Neuss

Playground, Street, and Sensing Technology – March in Neuss

What was important this month

• New playgrounds for children: Within the Children's Playground Program 2026/27, three major renovations were approved, including the Selikum Children's Farm with an investment of 200,000 euros.
• Collecting traffic data: Dialog displays will be installed in several districts to gather traffic information and enable public participation.
• New street names: As part of the State Horticultural Show, several streets and stops were renamed, such as the stop "Langemarckstraße" to "Stadtpark Neuss."
• Replacement of the Rhine Bridge: The replacement of the Düsseldorf-Flehe Rhine Bridge was approved in the preferred variant 1.3 – a river bridge of 380 meters and a land bridge of 780 meters.
• Funding for violence prevention: 60,000 euros were allocated in the budget to strengthen local support structures in the area of violence prevention.
• New position for youth participation: A half-time position was created to develop a participation concept for young people.

Redesigned playgrounds – an investment in the future

In March 2026, Neuss laid the foundation for three significant playground renovations. With a total budget of 400,000 euros, the playgrounds in the Rankestraße (Allerheiligen), Meertal (Augustinusviertel), and the Selikum Children's Farm will be comprehensively renovated. Particularly noteworthy is the Selikum Children's Farm, which will receive the largest share of the investment with 200,000 euros. These measures are part of the Children's Playground Program 2026/2027 and aim to significantly improve leisure and play opportunities for children in the city. In addition, a financial buffer of 20,000 euros is planned to cushion potential price increases.

Dialog Displays: Citizen Participation on the Street

A central topic in several district committees was the use of dialog displays, which are to be installed at three locations in 2026. The goal is to collect traffic data and simultaneously involve citizens directly in the planning process. The displays not only enable the recording of traffic flows but also allow residents to submit suggestions. In districts such as Norf, Uedesheim, and Holzheim, the expansion of this technology was unanimously approved, with the results being made available to the political authorities. The administration is required to operate the locations and disclose the results transparently.

Major Construction Planning: Düsseldorf-Flehe Rhine Bridge

The planning for the replacement of the Düsseldorf-Flehe Rhine Bridge was intensively discussed in several committees and ultimately approved in the preferred variant 1.3. This variant provides for the construction of two separate structures: a river bridge (380 m) and a land bridge (780 m). First, a temporary structure will be built to which traffic will be diverted before the old bridge is demolished and the final structure is constructed. Construction is planned to begin in the 2030s.

The planning is subject to a formal planning approval procedure, in which comments from public authorities, municipalities, associations, and citizens are taken into account. Legal and ecological criteria such as drinking water protection, FFH compatibility, and noise pollution play a decisive role. The preferred variant was selected due to its sustainability and traffic safety.

Safety and Inclusion in Traffic Planning

In addition to construction measures, topics such as traffic safety, barrier-free accessibility, and inclusion were also in focus. In several districts, barrier-free renovations of bus stops were approved, such as the renovation of the Werresweg stop on the Bonner Straße. The measure includes barrier-free crossings, the expansion of pedestrian and bicycle paths, and the renewal of the traffic light system. In addition, several districts are examining whether speed reductions and noise protection measures in residential streets are appropriate to improve quality of life.

Youth Participation: New Approaches in Youth Policy

Another focus was youth participation. The city of Neuss decided to introduce a new youth participation position at 0.5 FTE, which will promote the development of a participation concept involving young people from October 2025. In addition, additional staff resources were approved for youth centers such as the "Jugend Café Uedesheim" and the "Offene Tür Holzheim." The city thus commits itself to strengthening inclusive and participatory structures in youth and children's work.

Summary and Outlook

March 2026 was marked in Neuss by investments in the city's future: from playgrounds to traffic safety and major construction projects. The approved measures show that the city is responding to citizens' needs while simultaneously creating long-term planning security. In April, the next steps in the planning of the Rhine Bridge and the consultation on the appointment of new advisory members in the district committees are to follow. Citizen participation remains a central focus in municipal politics.