German state railway DB has started the quadruple-track expansion of the 23 km railway line between Hanau and Gelnhausen. This project is being financed by the German federal government and is intended to separate passenger and freight transport in order to increase the reliability of rail transport. In addition, all six stations along the line will be modernised and upgraded for people with reduced mobility. Local residents will benefit from around 30 km of new noise barriers. Environmental protection measures, such as replacement habitats for white storks and sand lizards, are also part of the project. The line is scheduled to be fully operational by 2036. DB involved the public in the planning process at an early stage and, together with the state of Hesse, set up a dialogue forum in which representatives from the state, district, local authorities and associations meet regularly to discuss the progress of planning and make suggestions. As part of this collaboration, the layout of the tracks was optimised and the planned maximum speed on the line was increased to 230 km/h. The project is an important part of the Frankfurt RheinMain plus infrastructure development programme.
