In Klagenfurt

Working at night prevents traffic chaos!

For local residents, however, the night work means additional noise pollution.

(Bild: DPA)

The expansion of the district heating system has its price: this summer, Klagenfurt is a major construction site that often costs residents and drivers their nerves. Now work is also being carried out from 8 pm to 6 am.

Roadworks are always an unpleasant affair - both for the people who live there and for road users. Because Klagenfurt's municipal utilities are stepping on the gas to expand the district heating network, they have been digging practically all over the city for weeks. In future, work will also be carried out at night at two locations: at the Egger-Lienz-Weg/Koschatstraße junction and on Villacher Ring near Schillerpark, construction workers will be marching at night on a total of eleven days.

Special permit for night work
"A total closure is simply not possible at these two intersections. And since everyone involved wants to prevent traffic chaos in the city, we have decided to take this measure," explains Stadtwerke board member Erwin Smole. This will only be done in an extreme emergency because night work causes significantly higher costs and is also unpleasant for people in the construction site area. For this reason, a special permit is required, the conditions of which are very strict. The construction companies are required to keep the noise level as low as possible.

As a total closure is not possible at two intersections in Klagenfurt and everyone wants to avoid traffic chaos, work is being carried out at night. This causes high additional costs and is only done in exceptional cases.

Erwin Smole, Vorstand der Klagenfurter Stadtwerke

Smole: "The construction work generally includes the extension of district heating lines and the connection to existing lines. In addition, 20 kV power cables and empty fiber optic cables are also being laid. In the area of water and gas, the laying, relocation and renovation of pipes is planned in all streets." The route for the district heating extension in the Klagenfurt-West area runs from Radetzkystraße through Schillerpark, crosses Villacher Ring and continues into Koschatstraße. "At the western end, the route joins Egger-Lienz-Weg to the south and Anzengruberstraße."

The night work will mainly be carried out by Swietelsky employees. Working hours start at 8 pm and end at 6 am. The workers receive shift bonuses of up to 40 percent.