Kemnitz fights against noise: 30 km/h limit causes discussions!

Kemnitz fights against noise: 30 km/h limit causes discussions!

In Kemnitz, a small district of the city of Pritzwalk, there has been a speed limit of 30 km/h on the entire town since June 2024. This speed reduction was introduced at the request of the city of Pritzwalk for noise protection reasons. The mayor Martin Huber reports that the noise pollution for residents has noticeably decreased. However, the situation is far from ideal as 20% of drivers still ignore the speed limit. Agricultural vehicles in particular often travel too fast in the village, which affects noise reduction, explains Huber.

Local authorities have clearly recognized that a speed limit is an important tool for calming traffic in residential areas. The aim of this regulation is to improve the quality of life through lower noise and exhaust fumes, which can also explain the requirements for the establishment of 30 km/h zones. These zones are only permitted in urban areas and serve to protect the resident population, pedestrians and cyclists, as stvo2go.de explains.

Speed ​​limit monitoring

In order to ensure compliance with the speed limit, Huber calls for permanent speed monitoring. This is particularly important since the Prignitz district road traffic authority is currently not actively contributing to monitoring. However, Gina Werthe, spokeswoman for the district, confirms that regular speed monitoring takes place. Between May 2024 and May 2025, 2,440 speeding violations were detected and punished at a bus stop in Kemnitz. In March 2025, a mobile measuring system was even in use.

In April and May 2025, measuring vehicles will support speed control. Huber suggests choosing the measurement locations more flexibly in order to refine monitoring. These measures are important not only for road safety, but also for citizens' quality of life. Structural measures that contribute to traffic calming are another option. These include, among other things, road narrowing, paving and road raising, as used in various cities to reduce motorized traffic, as can be read on [transformatorin.at](https://www.transformatorin.at/toolbox/massnahme-baukasten-fuer-die-verkehrsbe calmung/).

Unique situation in Prignitz

Citizens should also pay attention to the fact that Kemnitz is the only place in the Prignitz district with this speed limit. Despite the positive developments in noise reduction, there is still a need for action. The city administration has not yet signaled a need to submit further regulations or evaluations to the district, which raises the question of whether the measures are sufficient to sustainably improve the traffic situation.

Overall, the signs in Kemnitz point to change. It remains to be seen how further measures to calm traffic and improve traffic safety will be received, especially when looking at effective solutions to reduce noise and exhaust fumes.