North bridge closed for five years: cyclists and pedestrians in danger?

North bridge closed for five years: cyclists and pedestrians in danger?

The north bridge in Vienna faces a comprehensive renovation that will run over five years. This construction site, which is to last from March 2027 to the end of 2031, means that car traffic is diverted via the adjacent Steinitzsteg. While the Steinitzsteg usually serves cyclists and pedestrians as the main traffic route to the city, this detour is expected to lead to them to accept a bypass.

The topic of the renovation and the associated mobility criteria was discussed for the first time during a district council meeting in Floridsdorf on November 6th. The Greens made an application to secure mobility during the renovation work after they had only learned from the planned blocking through indirect sources. This situation has triggered that both the Greens and the cycling lobby expressed criticism and demanded alternative solutions.

demands for alternatives

The Greens and the Radlobby put pressure on those responsible and call for a priority solution for cyclists and pedestrians during the construction work. "The lock is a massive restriction of environmentally friendly mobility," said Heinz Berger, club chairman of the Greens in Floridsdorf. It was also pointed out that the footpaths on the north bridge have been dismantled in the past in favor of cars of cars, which still exacerbates the current situation.

The cycling lobby specifically makes suggestions, such as the construction of an alternative crossing over the Danube or the rededication of one of the car tracks on the stone seat bridge for cyclists and pedestrians. These would ensure safe crossing during the construction period. In addition, a shuttle bus for cyclists and pedestrians is considered to offer an alternative during the inevitable locks.

traffic control and planning

The ASFINAG, which is responsible for the renovation, has set itself the task of involving all road users in the planning. It is currently being discussed how cyclists can best be diverted to avoid massive traffic jams in Vienna. A single -lane renovation that provided in both directions was rejected due to extensive traffic investigations, as this would lead to considerable traffic disorders.

It is worth noting that the Steinitzsteg was originally built as a bypass route for the north bridge in 1995 when it was renovated. The city of Vienna later took over the administration, whereby it was determined that the jetty must be made available if ASFINAG needs it. Georg Brockmeyer, spokesman for the mobility agency, emphasizes that as soon as the time comes closer, concrete plans for the safe crossing of the Danube are to be developed.

At the moment, the exact details are still unclear, since the actual renovation will not begin until spring 2027. It should be noted that this work can only begin when the renovation of the S-Bahn line is completed by the ÖBB, which harbors additional uncertainties.

The upcoming changes and the discussions about the north bridge and the Steinitzsteg show how complex the situation for cyclists and pedestrians in Vienna is, especially when it comes to infrastructure improvements and traffic control. This leads to an intensive discussion about the need to take into account environmentally friendly mobility and to develop alternative solutions.