Cycle path construction continues

Lieserschlucht closed to traffic for months

Construction work in the Lieser gorge has been going on for years.

(Bild: Land Kärnten Abteilung 9)

The Lieserschlucht gorge, through which the B99 runs, will be closed to all traffic from February. The reason: construction work on the cycle path is continuing. A new traffic circle is also being built in Spittal. 

Preparatory work to set up the construction site and the detour route will begin on February 3, with the actual construction work starting on February 10. This means that the gorge will be closed for around four months from this date.

Challenging construction work in the gorge
In June, one side of the B99 will be open to traffic in the direction of Seeboden, and the closure will be lifted completely in the summer months of July, August and September. "We have taken the greatest possible account of local needs in the construction schedule. However, building in the gorge is technically very challenging. We have to ask the local population and businesses for their understanding," says Martin Gruber, Head of Road Construction, and emphasizes: "In return, you will get a safe cycle connection through the Lieserschlucht gorge that you have been longing for for decades and a cycle path that is unique in Austria."

The construction of the cantilever slabs, which protrude over the Lieser river and "on which the cyclists will be traveling, is particularly challenging."
Another challenge will be the construction section at the Lieser bridge, which will have to be widened to accommodate the cycle path. The cycle path will ultimately be integrated in the direction of Gmünd via a newly constructed ramp.

Challenging construction work in the gorge
In June, one side of the B99 will be open to traffic in the direction of Seeboden, and the closure will be lifted completely in the summer months of July, August and September. "We have taken the greatest possible account of local needs in the construction schedule. However, building in the gorge is technically very challenging. We have to ask the local population and businesses for their understanding," says Martin Gruber, Head of Road Construction, and emphasizes: "In return, you will get a safe cycle connection through the Lieserschlucht gorge that you have been longing for for decades and a cycle path that is unique in Austria." 

The construction of the cantilever slabs, which protrude over the Lieser river and "on which the cyclists will be traveling, is particularly challenging."
Another challenge will be the construction section at the Lieser bridge, which will have to be widened to accommodate the cycle path. The cycle path will ultimately be integrated in the direction of Gmünd via a newly constructed ramp.

Implementation in several construction phases
Each year, 700 to 800 meters of the 2.4-kilometre-long path can be built. Work will begin at the entrance to Spittal, where the cycle path will be built with a ramp on the river side up to the level of the pedestrian bridge (Liesersteg) over the Lieser and then continue on cantilever slabs along the embankment wall.

The width of the cantilever over the Lieser will vary along the course of the gorge, averaging 1.5 meters and even 3.5 meters in some sections, for example in the Lerchbaumer bend. 

Completion of the cycle path is scheduled for mid-2028. As the gorge will only be closed every month at the request of the region, the overall construction time will be extended. In addition, a complex drainage project prescribed by the authorities for the surface water produced has to be implemented in parallel. Once work on the cycle path has been completed, the entire carriageway of the B99 Katschberg road through the gorge will be resurfaced.

In order to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible during the entire construction period, a detailed detour plan was developed by traffic planners, authorities and experts from the state and coordinated with the neighboring communities of Spittal and Seeboden. The detour route for cars will be set up via the L10 Trebesinger Straße. Trucks with trailers and articulated vehicles as well as cyclists are prohibited from driving via Fratres during this time.

Several closures planned

• Total closure: beginning of February to end of May, beginning of October to end of November:
• Partial closure: June, December and January. One-way regulation from Spittal in the direction of Seeboden, detour via L10 in the direction of Spittal
• No closure: July, August, September

Another traffic circle in Spittal 
Another traffic circle is set up in Spittal in order to regulate the intersection area at Neuer Platz (B99 Katschberg Straße/L10 Trebesinger Straße/10. Oktober Straße) in the best possible way. The R9 supra-regional cycle path will be rerouted from Spittal via 10. Oktober Straße to the R1 Drau cycle path and then via St. Peter in Holz/Teurnia to the R9A via Lurnbichl and Lieserbrücke to Seeboden. The Marienheim is initially only accessible from Seeboden, and in subsequent years from Spittal.