Dangerous

Many pedestrian traps await on the mega cycle highway

For the first time, the bicycle share in Vienna has risen to 10 percent. City Councillor for Transport Ulli Sima (SPÖ) is delighted.(Bild: Gerhard Bartel)

Dangerous: too few safe crosswalks turn Vienna's flagship cycle path into a gauntlet.

The mega cycle highway from Donaustadt to the city center is seven kilometers long. Seven kilometers that are supposed to be a true cyclists' Eldorado, as the city has proudly announced. But not all road users immediately burst into tears of joy.

This is because there have already been a number of dicey situations for pedestrians along the entire route. The lack of crosswalks and traffic lights for cyclists turned Praterstraße, the heart of the flagship cycle path, into a danger zone - as we reported. According to the "Krone" article, two crosswalks now ensure greater safety there.

FPÖ local councillor Toni Mahdalik at the corner of Wagramer Straße and Franz-Loidl-Gasse. Here the crosswalk ends right in front of the cycle path, as the Freedom Party member criticizes.(Bild: FPÖ Wien/Toni Mahdalik)

But FPÖ local councillor Toni Mahdalik now lists other pedestrian traps. For example at the Lasallestraße/Vorgartenstraße junction, where pedestrians and cyclists get in each other's way. As part of the main cycle network, Praterstrasse is already one of the busiest cycle routes in the city. More than one million cyclists have been counted on Praterstern and Lassallestraße for years. At the corner of Wagramer Strasse and Franz-Loidl-Gasse, the crosswalk even ends right in front of the cycle path.

One of the danger spots can also be found on the corner of Lasallestraße and Vorgartenstraße.(Bild: FPÖ Wien/ Toni Mahdalik)

"It would be better if Ulli Sima renamed the cycle highway to cycle path. Because highway stands for fast driving without crossings and consideration for pedestrians," says Mahdalik angrily. He is now also calling for more checks on bike hooligans by bicycle police officers.

The MA46 (traffic organization) tells the "Krone" that the City of Vienna is particularly concerned about the road safety of all road users. The new cycle highways will provide more space for the growing number of cyclists to travel comfortably and safely from Donaustadt to the city center. At the same time - especially along Praterstraße and Aspernbrückengasse - a large number of greening and cooling measures will be implemented to improve the quality of life for everyone. Some areas in Wagramer Strasse and Lassallestrasse have been painted green to increase awareness. However, specially marked safety paths only make sense where high pedestrian numbers regularly occur.

However, the opening of the cycle highway and its sections are being monitored by the authorities. Additional measures could therefore still follow. Work is not scheduled to be completed until summer 2025, but large sections of the flagship project have already been approved.