Munich is setting new standards: traffic light men for wheelchair users are coming!

Munich is setting new standards: traffic light men for wheelchair users are coming!

What's happening in Munich? An exciting project is coming up in the Bavarian capital: Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) is planning to introduce new traffic light men - and in a very special form. Wheelchair symbols should be installed at selected traffic lights instead of the usual red and green pedestrian figures. This measure aims to increase the “social visibility” of people with disabilities, as BR reports.

The idea for this innovative initiative came from former disability officer Oswald Lutz, who suggested it at a city council meeting. Reiter has now entrusted the city's mobility department with finding suitable intersections in the city center where the new pictograms can be installed. Two drafts of the planned symbols are already available. While the green traffic light man is dynamically moving, the red counterpart remains rather calm.

Diversity on the streets

The introduction of wheelchair symbols is the third new traffic light symbol to be created during Reiter's term in office. Since 2015, Munich's streets have had six homosexual traffic light couples, which not only adds a colorful accent, but is also a sign of acceptance and integration. The Bavarian Administrative Court even rejected a lawsuit against the LGBTQ+ traffic lights in 2022, which shows that this creative design met with broad approval.

Another popular design is the Pumuckl traffic light, which has been shining in all its glory since February 2025. These developments are in a larger context: Since the turn of the millennium, increasingly creative traffic light-shaped figures have found their way into Germany. A look into the past: The first pedestrian traffic light was installed in Berlin in 1937, modeled on the first electric traffic light that went into service at Potsdamer Platz in 1924 - an anniversary that is also being celebrated this year. After 100 years since the introduction of the first traffic lights, it is becoming increasingly clear that these small pictograms are much more than just traffic aids.

One step further for more inclusion

The upcoming introduction of wheelchair symbols shows that Munich is actively committed to greater inclusion and participation. The focus on the mobility of people with disabilities is an important signal that should be taken into account not only in the city itself, but also beyond national borders. There are currently no such wheelchair traffic light figures in Germany, so Munich could take a pioneering role here.

With a combination of functionality and symbolism, the new traffic light men could do much more than just promote traffic safety in the future. They could be a step in the right direction towards living an open, inclusive and respectful life together. There is agreement among the responsible authorities: This is not just about creative design, but also about the important question of how we can make people with disabilities more visible in our society.