Overview
- The KVG analysis finds the tram link to Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe technically feasible and eligible for funding without jeopardizing World Heritage status.
- Two alignments are viable: the shorter Waldtrasse along the historic route and the longer Ehlener Kreuz roadside option with differing environmental and operational trade-offs.
- The study warns the Waldtrasse would require extensive tree felling, fragment forest habitat and risk soil compaction affecting the water balance in the park’s core zone.
- Next steps include selecting a preferred route, commissioning a heritage-compatibility review with ICOMOS and UNESCO, and starting detailed planning with a citywide traffic concept.
- Costs remain undisclosed as KVG says reliable figures are not yet available, a council vote is expected on 29 September, and the state indicates funding is possible once formal planning and approvals progress.