Postponed to 2025

Because it will “rumble”: No lane for cyclists

From November, Martin Hajart, the deputy mayor for mobility, wanted to give cyclists more space on the Nibelungen Bridge in Linz - he has now postponed this project.

(Bild: © Harald Dostal / 2023)

With the opening of the Westring Bridge in late fall this year, a temporary lane for cyclists was supposed to be set up on the Nibelungen Bridge to allow two-way cycle traffic on both sides of the bridge. However, the cycle lane has been shelved for this year for electoral reasons.

"Nothing has fundamentally changed in the plans. We have only decided to postpone the implementation date from November 2024 to April 2025. For a simple reason: The election campaign for the mayor's office will be in full swing by November - and there is too great a risk that the cycle path pilot project will become an election campaign issue. But the project is clearly too important to me for that," says Deputy Mayor and Mobility Officer Martin Hajart, explaining the reason for the postponement.

"There will be 'rumbling' with this measure"
One thing is clear: by converting two lanes into cycle lanes, this traffic measure is a drastic restriction for motorized traffic. The transition and familiarization phase with clearly noticeable effects for road users will take several months. "It was always clear to me that there would be 'rumblings' about this measure. If this takes place in the middle of the mayoral election campaign, the temporary solution will have failed from the outset. But it is too important for that. As far as the postponement to April 2025 is concerned, I have already contacted Provincial Councillor Steinkellner."

Spring is a better time of year anyway
In addition, winter is generally not the best time of year to start with cycle paths. Hajart: "It makes more sense to start in spring, as the measures are easier and safer for cyclists to implement in better weather conditions. This not only protects cyclists, but also reduces potential criticism due to poor road conditions or weather-related delays."

"Car-free" main square from the end of October
However, there will be no change to the plans for Linz's main square without through traffic. With the opening of the Westring Bridge, the passage from Klosterstraße across the main square in the direction of the Nibelungen Bridge will be prohibited by decree. A pedestrian zone is decreed, starting at the Landhaus forecourt in Klosterstraße and extending across Linz's entire main square. This is intended to create space for a better quality of life. 

"People want to know what to expect before they vote"
FP city councillor Michael Raml shakes his head: "Instead of pursuing honest and transparent policies, they are trying to delay unpleasant truths. People want to know what to expect, especially before an election, and not be confronted with the consequences afterwards." The postponement is disappointing for Green Party chairman Helge Langer and Linzplus frontman Lorenz Potocnik - the latter is furious: "There is no time for populism and election campaign tactics."

"Now it will be dragged into the election campaign all the more"
SPÖ transport spokesperson Florian Koppler emphasizes: "As the SPÖ, we have been clearly committed to this cycle path project on the Nibelungen Bridge from the outset. We see it as an important measure to promote cycling and sustainable mobility in Linz. The postponement to April 2025 may be well-intentioned on the part of Deputy Mayor Hajart, but we would have liked to see it implemented more quickly. If this makes sense from a technical point of view, for example due to poor weather conditions, then the postponement is understandable. However, the argument of wanting to keep it out of the election campaign leads to it being dragged into the election campaign all the more. This is a shame, especially in view of the fact that it was Deputy Mayor Hajart who wanted a pact so that projects would not suffer during the election.