The City of Rostock, a partner in the NXTLVL Parking project, has launched an innovative pilot to keep critical urban areas clear using smart ground sensors. Installed in three city center locations, including the Südstadt district along Kopenhagener Straße, the surface-mounted magnetic field sensors detected vehicles parked illegally in fire lanes and loading zones and instantly alert enforcement teams (Kommunaler Ordnungsdienst). This technology aimed to ensure that emergency routes remain accessible and that delivery operations can run smoothly without blocking traffic or sidewalks. By improving safety and urban accessibility, the pilot contributed to Rostock’s broader efforts toward smarter, more efficient, and sustainable city mobility management. Short video about the pilot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKCH8txW9ws
Shared Mobility in Südstadt: Rethinking Mobility – a Cargo Bike for Rostock Südstadt (Citizen Project and pilot measure)
The focus of this pilot measure was shared mobility. This pilot measure was implemented as a result of the citizen project. The pilot measure is divided into two phases.
Citizen pilot: First, the residents of the district were involved. During a workshop with citizens, the City of Rostock introduced the concept of shared mobility to residents under the theme “Sharing instead of owning”. This was done using a hands-on approach: The city invited car sharing and bike sharing providers, so citizens had first-hand experience, e.g. they had the chance to find out how the car sharing app works or they tried out a cargo bike. In addition, the city gathered the needs and requirements and specific ideas for shared mobility offers in the respective district of the city (such as evaluating neighborhood mobility hubs / Mobilitätsstationen and dedicated carsharing parking spaces). The result was that a cargo bike would be a suitable new mobility offer in the district. The aim was to enable citizens to use it free of charge.
Pilot measure: Implementation took place in the second phase. The city involved the district and community centre as well as a private association in the implementation. The district centre, as an important social meeting place in the district, is the location and rental station for the cargo bike. The association offered an online booking platform and takes care of the maintenance and servicing of the bike. The bike could be borrowed easily and free of charge via the booking platform. Pick-up and instruction then took place on site at the district centre. The cargo bike was thus a new offering that was launched with the support of the NXTLVL Parking project, but is sustained in the long term by voluntary commitment, enabling it to have a lasting positive impact on the district.
Data-driven parking space data collection
Rostock also implemented innovative camera-equipped scanning vehicles that traversed the city using AI-assisted image processing to automatically collect comprehensive occupancy and capacity data across thousands of parking spaces. This data directly feeds into the ongoing development of Rostock’s new Traffic and Mobility Concept (SUMP), supporting evidence-based decisions on future parking regulations, zone pricing, and public space reallocation.
Installation of Bicycle Storage Lockers
With climate protection in mind, Rostock is pursuing the goal of a city of short distances and an attractive environmental transport network. In this regard, the measure supported increasing the use of environmental friendly transport means and reducing motorized traffic for a better quality of life for residents. As part of this pilot project, 14 lockable bicycle boxes were installed at Park + Ride car parking facilities in the city. The boxes were installed at three locations that are particularly suitable for combining rail, bicycle and car travel. The service was aimed at commuters and offered safe and secure storage facilities. It was therefore an instrument to connect different modes of mobility and to incentify the use of bicycles. This was a key objective of the city and part of the P+R concept which is implemented by the city. Short video about the pilot: https://youtube.com/shorts/zAu3EqIXPjI?si=jfJoiUeC4sEAmln4