Speeding hotspot Döbling: Residents fear chaos from McDonald's!

Speeding hotspot Döbling: Residents fear chaos from McDonald's!

In the last few weeks, residents of Heiligenstädter Straße in Döbling have repeatedly reported disturbances at night. According to a report by the courier Loud banging noises come from tuned cars whose drivers use the road as a race track. This “Roadrunner” scene has established itself as a meeting place at the BP gas station and is causing a certain amount of chaos in the neighborhood.

Residents are particularly concerned about the upcoming construction of a temporary McDonald's pop-up restaurant planned right next to the gas station. Loud Today The pop-up restaurant is to be built on 206 square meters in order to bridge the demolition of the existing branch on Heiligenstädter Straße. Residents fear that the McDrive branch will attract even more traffic and the associated noise pollution.

Strong citizen interest

The residents' concerns have already led to the establishment of a citizens' initiative. Over 170 people have formed a group against the project because they fear additional problems from noise, exhaust fumes and garbage. As a resident, Marlene S., reports, the nightly “Roadrunner” scene would be given an even greater boost by the new restaurant, which could further aggravate the situation.

District leader Daniel Resch (ÖVP) met with residents and showed interest in measures that could reduce noise pollution. The proposal to set up noise cameras based on the Salzburg model was brought into play. These devices, which consist of microphones and cameras and are operated via digital devices, could help track down noise offenders, residents report.

Future traffic planning

In addition, residents are demanding structural changes to improve traffic safety. Ideas such as moving the cycle path to the belt and greening the intersection are under discussion. The area is currently a heat hotspot in summer due to its concrete cover.

A particularly tragic incident in September, in which a woman died in a storm on Gunoldstrasse, has prompted residents to demand timely action. The water had swept them away from the sloping road. The ongoing discussions with McDonald's and proposals for structural changes, such as concrete sleepers and noise barriers, are promising so far, but the seriousness of these proposals remains to be seen.

The approval process for the pop-up restaurant has already been initiated. The district office manager examines, among other things, concerns about nuisances caused by noise, smell and dust. Approval could only be granted if unreasonable nuisances are excluded, possibly with conditions to accommodate residents.

The discussion about the pop-up restaurant and the associated challenges for the residents of Döbling clearly show how important it is for new projects to work well together with the needs of the residents. It remains to be seen how the community and the affected companies will respond to the concerns.