New €4.5M cycling route to link Bottrop and Gladbeck by 2030
A new cycling route is being built to connect Bottrop's city centre with Gladbeck-Ellinghorst. The project, costing an estimated €4.5 million, will form part of the wider Mid-Ruhr Express Bike Route (RS7). Local officials have already inspected the site and praised the ongoing work. Construction is currently focused on a three-kilometre section along a disused railway line. This stretch runs from Bottrop to the base of the Beckstraße slag heap. Once finished, it will account for nearly half of the full Bottrop-Gladbeck connection.
The path will feature a four-metre-wide paved surface and full lighting. It is set to link directly with the Ruhr Express Bike Route 1 (RS1), improving regional cycling networks. Officials expect the first section to be completed by next year. Bottrop's Mayor Matthias Buschfeld, Technical Deputy Klaus Müller, and Gladbeck Mayor Bettina Weist recently visited the site. They expressed satisfaction with the progress so far. The remaining stretch to Gladbeck-Ellinghorst is scheduled for completion by 2030. State funding covers 90% of the €4.5 million cost. The project aims to create a safer, well-lit route for cyclists travelling between the two cities.
The new bike path will provide a direct, well-maintained link between Bottrop and Gladbeck-Ellinghorst. Its integration with the RS1 and RS7 routes will expand cycling options across the Ruhr region. The first phase is due to open in 2025, with the full connection expected by 2030.
