Cycle path expansion continues: New two-way cycle paths in Heiligenstädter Straße and Paltaufgasse

2024-05-07 10:40:35

Closing the gaps with new, comfortable cycle paths – around 600 m2 of additional green spaces were approved by the mobility committee

Vienna (OTS) – The largest cycle path offensive in the history of the city of Vienna is in full swing, new and attractive cycle paths are being built throughout the city. With new two-way cycle paths on Heiligenstädter Straße in the 19th district and on Paltaufgasse in the 16th district, the next projects were decided today in the responsible planning and mobility committee of the local council. This will create another 500 meters of high-quality cycle path infrastructure. “In keeping with our motto “Get out of the asphalt,” we are using the construction work to create additional green spaces and also plant new trees,” says City Councilor for Mobility Ulli Sima.

New two-way cycle path and greenery in Döbling

Heiligenstädter Straße is an important traffic artery in the 19th district and runs through it in a north-south direction. The section from 12.-Februar-Platz to Gallmeyergasse is lined with residential buildings and shops. The large-crowned trees on both sides of the street form a shady avenue, but do not have the best growing conditions due to the limited green space. The situation in this section regarding the bicycle infrastructure is similarly modest. On the side of the city there is a narrow one-way cycle path, which is no longer up to date in this dimension.

With a new and comfortable two-way cycle path over a length of around 400 meters, cycling on Heiligenstädter Straße will be safer and more convenient in the future. This is being built along the side of the street facing the city between 12.-Februar-Platz and Gallmeyergasse and runs between green spaces and the sidewalk and is therefore clearly separated from motorized traffic. There are colored markings for even more safety. At the points where pedestrians cross the cycle path, it is marked with green paint to ensure more attention at these crossing points. There are red markings at house entrances to increase driver awareness.

Good connections in all directions

The new two-way cycle path connects to the existing cycle path on Heiligenstädter Straße to the north. In the south you can reach the Danube Canal via the recently built two-way cycle path on Gunoldstrasse. You can easily go up or down on the wide cycle ramps built on both sides of the Danube Canal at the Heiligenstädter Bridge. On the other side, we continue into the 20th district, where there are already structurally separated cycle paths in both Brigittenauer Lände and Lorenz-Müller-Gasse. This means that the new two-way cycle path on Heiligenstädter Straße connects the surrounding areas with the Karl-Marx-Hof and the Hohe Warte stadium even better to the cross-district cycle network. Construction is expected to take place from July to the end of the year.

More green spaces for healthy trees

The large, old trees on Heiligenstädter Straße will be preserved as important sources of shade. Soon they will also find better growing conditions. The construction work for the new cycle path will be used to enlarge the green strips with trees on the side of the city and to install automatic irrigation. Two additional green areas with a total of 4 trees will be built from scratch. This creates around 500 square meters of additional green space in which rainwater can seep away. This relieves the pressure on the sewage system, improves the water balance of the vegetation and contributes to a more pleasant microclimate in the warm season.

Cycle path construction in Ottakring continues

As early as 2021, the west of Vienna was made fit for cycling as part of the largest cycle path offensive in the city’s history. Thanks to two gap closures in the 16th and 17th districts, you can cycle along the suburban line from the 18th to the 14th district. Since then, the route has enabled the cycling community to travel comfortably and safely and is therefore very busy. Now turn the last screws to close the last small gaps.

In Paltaufgasse in the 16th district, which runs as an extension of Kendlerstraße from Gablenzgasse to Ottakringer Straße, a structurally separate two-way cycle path has already been built – only in the section between Hasnerstraße and Thaliastraße there is only a one-way cycle path. Cyclists coming from Kendlerstraße have to move onto the road and then back onto the cycle path.

Closing the gap in Paltaufgasse

This is going to change. The existing one-way cycle path with a length of around 130 meters will be widened to up to 3.20 meters and will be used as a two-way cycle path in the future. In order to clarify the separation of the cycle path and the vehicle lane, five trees will be planted between them and a total of over 70 square meters of new green space will be created. This eliminates the hassle of changing onto the road and cyclists benefit from greater safety and comfort on this important route through the west of Vienna. Construction is expected to begin in August 2024.