Dennehauptweg in Heessen has been a regular source of discontent since 2017, earning it the nickname "the district's groundhog". For decades, residents have complained about the heavy traffic and excessive speeds on the road between Frielicker Weg and Münsterstraße. Originally a gravel road, it was upgraded to an asphalt road and has since seen an increase in traffic.
Local resident Anton Ackfeld points out that despite numerous measures, there are still too many vehicles using Dennehauptweg, especially during rush hour. After the end of the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in parcel deliveries, traffic has increased again. Ackfeld has the impression that the city administration, police and politicians are neglecting the area.
Dennehauptweg was originally asphalted to serve as an access road to a landfill site and became a popular shortcut after the construction of Lipperandstraße. In 2007, the city of Hamm counted 1700 vehicles on the road every day. Many drivers from the north use it as a shortcut to Heessen and further into Münsterland, although it is narrow, confusing and often in poor condition.
There have been numerous attempts to solve the problem, including a barrier in the 1990s, but this was removed again. In 2018, a ban on trucks over 2.5 tons was introduced and the road was declared a residential road. Since then, only residents and cyclists have been allowed to use the road, and a speed limit of 30 km/h applies in the area of the housing estate near Frielicker Weg.