Pokemon GO players get a German bridge to themselves

Pokemon GO players in Germany now have a bridge (mostly) to themselves, a move made by the Mayor of Dusseldorf to address the large number of players who gather in the area. As it turns out, the Girardet bridge — which is normally open to both cars and people — has a Pokestop on both ends. Because of this, players tend to congregate on the bridge, and during those times it can become dangerous or difficult for cars to get through. As a solution, the city has put traffic directors in place to, when necessary, close down the bridge to vehicular traffic.

Pokemon GO safety has been a concern since the game launched — it has the power to bring people together, yes, but unless those people look up from their phones on occasion, they run the risk of stepping in front of a moving car or, you know, walking directly off a cliff. Some areas in larger cities have experienced massive crowds up Pokemon GO players gathering near Pokestops, as well.

In the case of Dusseldorf, the city mayor has decided to not only have transportation officials in place to redirect vehicles when necessary, but has also had extra garbage cans installed to prevent littering and has had portable toilets installed for obvious reasons.

It's a great decision on the city's part, ultimately helping keep individuals safe while providing a safe area for players to gather and hang out. We've seen other cities as well as companies and organizations capitalize on the Pokemon GO crowds; Yelp even added a filter for finding restaurants close to Pokestops.

VIA: Kotaku