New sidewalk on Iselweg: Lienz takes measures against floods!

New sidewalk on Iselweg: Lienz takes measures against floods!

Lienz, Österreich - The right -wing island in Lienz will be closed to construction work from Monday, June 16, until September 9th. The aim of this measure is to create a wide sidewalk as part of the comprehensive flood protection measures in the region. These measures gain in importance, especially in the context of increasing risks due to heavy rain and floods due to climate change, as has already been observed in several German regions. Experts emphasize that the likelihood of frequent flood events is increasing and demanding new approaches for flood protection to better prepare cities for extreme weather conditions, so ZDF today .

The new walkway along the right Iselweg will have a width of 1.75 meters. In the areas of the hospital bridge and at the Iselsteg, it will be even wider and partially planted to create a pleasant pedestrian promenade. It is important to mention that no bike path is planned along this road led as a one -way. The cyclists are therefore forced to share the road with the cars or use the Iselkai, where cycling is allowed, reports Dolomitenstadt .

flood protection measures and their necessity

In recent years, the dramatic floods in regions such as Reichertshofen have shown deficits in flood protection. The public sector invests billions in expensive flood protection measures, while other plans, such as in Roding, were stopped. Climate change forces us to rethink and modernize our infrastructure. Theo Schmitt, a renowned expert in heavy rain risk management, emphasizes that cities have to rely on new architecture and infrastructure in order to meet the challenges through extreme weather conditions.

• Blue-green infrastructure for storing, infiltration and drainage of water is crucial.
• measures outside of urban areas such as dikes and retention basins are essential.
• Within cities, it is important to plan targeted derivations of water.

In addition, the renovation or new construction of dikes is necessary because many of them are getting on in years. The challenges of conversion existing cities are large, but still necessary for effective flood protection. There are numerous individual measures for private homeowners, such as the sealing of light shafts, backlogs and the willingness of sandbags that can contribute to risk reduction.

Financial dimensions and outlook

The costs for consistent heavy rain management are estimated at several billion euros. In Germany, the damage caused by flood in the Ahr Valley and the Erft in July 2021 was estimated at 40.5 billion euros. The federal government expects the costs that will be incurred by 2050 due to climate change to be between 280 and 900 billion euros. This economic risk shows how important it is to take proactive and effective measures in the area of ​​flood protection, supplements ZDF today .

The planned construction work on the right Iselweg in Lienz is therefore not only a step towards safe track for pedestrians, but also part of a larger strategy for risk reduction at a time when the challenges through climate change are increasingly visible.