Frankhplatz is becoming greener: redesign starts in 2024 for a better quality of life!

Frankhplatz is becoming greener: redesign starts in 2024 for a better quality of life!

Things will soon be going well again in Vienna's Josefstadt: the redesign of Frankhplatz is just around the corner and the first plans have been presented. Construction work is scheduled to begin in April 2024, and residents have already been involved in a participation process. The goal? Increase the quality of life and make public spaces more attractive. The MeinBezirk informs that the shell of the Frankhplatz subway station has already been completed, but the commissioning is still delayed. The square will not only be a hub for the subway station, but also for a cycle path that connects Universitätsstrasse with Alser Strasse.

What exactly can residents and passers-by expect? An unsealing of almost 5,000 square meters of land is planned to create more green spaces. These new areas are to be integrated in Schwarzspanierstrasse, Garelligasse and Frankhplatz. In addition, 16 new trees and 40 seating options with shade elements are planned. The aim of these measures is to create pedestrian-friendly meeting spaces, which should also contribute to traffic calming.

Detour and traffic calming

Of course, the construction site also brings with it changes: In the future, Landesgerichtsstrasse will only be accessible in one lane from Universitätsstrasse to Felderstrasse, and the passage between Alser Strasse and Universitätsstrasse will be completely closed from the start of construction. Road users in the direction of the 9th district must be redirected from Felderstrasse via Ebendorfer Strasse. The Wiener Linien also recommends avoiding large areas if the destination is not nearby. However, with a few short restrictions on weekends, tram lines 43 and 44 continue to operate normally, as Our Josefstadt informs us.

The transport transition is a central topic in current planning not only for Vienna, but also for many other cities. According to the information from the BMV, smooth mobility is crucial for our society. The mobility transition aims to establish new means of transport and concepts without having to forego comfort. It's about reducing private motorized transport and promoting tangible alternatives such as walking, cycling and local public transport. The redesign of Frankhplatz fits exactly into this strategy and creates an infrastructure for “short distances” that strengthens the use of environmentally friendly means of transport.

The district leaders Martin Fabisch (Greens) and Saya Ahmad (SPÖ) have clearly spoken out in favor of this reorganization. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026 and could therefore become a real showcase project for the city. The redesign will not only permanently change Frankhplatz itself, but also the entire surrounding area.