Traffic chaos around Marburger Strasse: residents are calling for solutions

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Die Umwandlung der Marburger Straße in Graz zur Fahrradstraße sorgt für Kontroversen: Während Radfahrer profitieren, klagen Anwohner über steigenden Verkehr in den umliegenden Straßen.
The conversion of Marburger Straße in Graz to the bicycle road ensures controversy: While cyclists benefit, residents complain of rising traffic in the surrounding streets. (Symbolbild/DNAT)

Traffic in Graz, especially in the vicinity of Marburger Straße bicycle road, remains a hot topic. More than a year has passed since this through train road was converted into a bicycle road in March 2023. The initiative aimed to reduce car traffic and make the streets safer for cyclists. While the conversion initially appeared promising, the latest traffic counts show a worrying development.

The statistics show that the traffic situation has deteriorated in the surrounding streets. Instead of moving the traffic on main roads, drivers instead used the neighboring roads, in particular Neufeldweg and Scheigergasse, more intensively. An increase of 36 percent on the Newfeld path and a dramatic increase of 137 percent in Scheigergasse are alarming indicators, which were evaluated by the city's traffic planning department. The traffic load on Marburger Straße has decreased, but the residents in the surrounding streets are dissatisfied with the increase in traffic.

reactions of the residents

residents are frustrated by the current situation. In order to draw attention to your concerns, you have started a petition that has so far collected more than 800 signatures. This initiative calls for general traffic calming in the area and shows visible signs such as posters that express the resentment of the citizens. The district leader of St. Peter, Mario Rossmann, has an understanding of these concerns and expresses: "The bicycle road in Marburger Strasse was basically a good idea. But I suspect that it came too early. Maybe she should have come together with other measures."

In order to improve the situation, the city has taken measures in the neighboring streets, such as the attachment of blocking space and guide, in order to enforce the speed limit of 30 km/h and make traffic in the dead ends more unattractive. Despite these efforts, compliance with the speed limit remains insufficient. The residents have the impression that the reduction of the speed has little effect due to the new markings.

In addition, it is planned to transform parts of the Neufeldweg into a bicycle road, which increases the fears that traffic could migrate to other streets such as Wittenbauerstrasse. However, the city of Graz is already planning further measures to increase traffic safety and improve the situation.

An upcoming event that will continue to ensure conversation is an information evening at the Technical University of Graz in December. Here the citizens are to be informed about the cross -district master plan Inffeldgasse in order to discuss future steps to improve the traffic situation.

The development around Marburger Straße bicycle road is observed closely because it has both positive and negative effects on the traffic situation. It remains to be seen whether the changes actually lead to a sustainable improvement. For more detailed insights into the current situation and the various measures that are already underway, www.meinbezirk.at can be visited .