Vienna City Council: Praise for cycle paths and farewell to a member of the council!

Vienna City Council: Praise for cycle paths and farewell to a member of the council!

Wien, Österreich - On April 23, 2025, the Vienna municipal council dealt with various topics, including the use of cycle paths and the impressive career of GR Ernst Woller (SPÖ). Mag. Angelika Pipal-Leixner from the Neos praised the Viennese cycle path offensive, while criticizing the Greens to reject cycling projects for ideological reasons. She emphasized the increase in the use of bike in Vienna by children, senior and people of all ages, which underlines the change in urban mobility, which began in the 1990s with an extended bicycle traffic network, as the city of Vienna documented in detail here .

In his farewell speech, Grönrer Woller recalled his forefront on September 16, 1988. He particularly remembered his first speech on the Vienna housing subsidy in January 1989. The projects that he emphasized, including the conversion of the theater on Vienna and the impulse festival, illustrate its influence on the city's cultural policy. Woller said that he never regretted his decision to switch from residential construction to culture.

A look at cycling development

The development of bicycle traffic in Vienna has a long history. After a decline in the use of bike in the 1970s, when car -friendly planning was forced, Vienna experienced a reversal of this trend from the 1980s. The municipal council decision of April 29, 1980 initiated a program for cycling funding, and until 1986 the bicycle traffic network was expanded to 168 kilometers. Since 2019, the proportion of everyday paths with a bike has increased from 7% to 11%, which shows the increasing importance of cycling in everyday life.

Today's projects focus on improving the network of cycle paths, such as the second section of the bike path on Mariahilfer Straße, which was decided by GR Kilian Stark (Greens). Grin Susanne Haase (SPÖ) also emphasized the continuous efforts to improve the cycling infrastructure in the city. These developments are part of a broader strategy that dates back to the early 2000s when a comprehensive main cycling network was created that encloses important traffic arteries.

artistic contributions to urban development

Another important point in the discussion was the impulse dance festival, which is under the motto "Redefining Action (ISM)" this year. The festival, which has been taking place in the Vienna Museum Quarter since 2015, goes back to the roots of Viennese actionism, which is considered the forerunner of performance art. The exhibition "My Body is the event" faces performer and audience with artists such as Otto Muehl and Hermann Nitsch and places current and historical perspectives in a dialogue.

The festival offers numerous events between July 14th and August 12th, including premieres and interactive formats such as IVO Dimchev's "Facebook Theater", which researches the role of social media in the theater. This creative framework, together with the cultural heritage of GR Woller, shows how important art and culture are for the identity of Vienna.

Today's discussions in the local council clarify that the city is at the interface between transport policy and cultural development, which not only increases the quality of life, but also increases the attractiveness of Vienna as a habitat.