Brünner Straße cycle path: Controversial plans lead to loss of parking spaces!

Brünner Straße cycle path: Controversial plans lead to loss of parking spaces!

In Vienna, the discussion about the cycle path on Brünner Straße is being reignited. An intensive planning process is causing excitement, as the construction of a two-way cycle path is on the agenda for 2026. The plans envisage a continuous cycle path that will extend from Spitz to Katsushikastrasse. The cycle path will be created on the right side of the road and should be around 2.60 meters wide. This will be a welcome improvement for cyclists, even if the loss of around 60 parking spaces in areas such as the Schlingermarkt and the ice cream shop is causing people to feel heated. DFZ21 reports.

The district leader Georg Papai has already received information that the sidewalk should not be narrowed. Katharina Graber from the Vienna Chamber of Commerce also expressed concerns about the impact on the loading zones. One can only assume that not all residents are enthusiastic about the measure. The planned tree plantings and sidewalk extensions on the opposite side of the inner Brno street, however, are seen in a more positive light. Some politicians, such as district councilor Erwin Tóth, are even calling for a wider cycle path of four meters, which is further fueling the debate.

Review of previous plans

It is not the first time that plans for a cycle path on Brünner Straße have been discussed. The Green Transport City Councilor Maria Vassilakou presented corresponding proposals as early as 2017, but they have not been implemented to date. When the cycle path network for Floridsdorf was presented in February 2024, the Brünner Straße cycle path was not mentioned - a circumstance that mobility spokeswoman Heidi sequence sharply criticized. According to the Greens, this inaction would not be an isolated case; Many projects seem to disappear into the drawer.

However, the cycle path on Prager Straße is highlighted as positive as a way to close the gap in the cycle path network, although its width of 2.60 meters is also questioned. There is also criticism of the more than 100 kilometers backlog that exists in the expansion program for cycle paths. Cycling spokesman Kilian Stark is therefore calling for more investment in the barely developed cycling traffic, especially where there are no cycle paths yet - like on Brünner Straße itself.

The city of Vienna's cycle path offensive

Promoting cycling is a focus of Vienna's transport policy, firmly anchored in the concepts since 1994. The transport master plan and the mobility concept aim to design the modal split so that 80 percent of journeys are made by public transport, cycling or on foot by 2025. The quality of cycle paths should be improved and gaps in the network should be closed, which will make a significant contribution to optimizing mobility in Vienna. wien.gv.at emphasizes how important more space is for pedestrians and cyclists and that measures such as opening one-way lanes for cyclists should help make cycling more attractive.

It remains to be seen how the discussion surrounding the cycle path on Brünner Straße will develop. The plans bring with them both opportunities and challenges. Sensible solutions are required to meet the needs of all road users and improve the appearance of the district center. The coming months promise to be exciting in this regard.