Landstraße calls for a green oasis: petition for the S-Bahn to be flattened!

Landstraße calls for a green oasis: petition for the S-Bahn to be flattened!

Something is happening on the country road! Two committed citizens, August Sarnitz and Bernhard Eichinger, are committed to a necessary improvement in the quality of life. They have launched a petition aimed at paving the S-Bahn route between the Beatrix Bridge and Vienna-Mitte. What exactly is behind it? Loud My district The two initiators have already collected over 600 signatures – an impressive success!

The idea behind the petition is to create a green open space to shine a positive light on an area that many residents have already described as an “eyesore”. The petition was launched in June 2025 and will be discussed in the Petitions Committee on November 20, 2025. Sarnitz and Eichinger particularly want to create new open spaces in the city center without losing parking spaces.

Reasons for overplating

A central concern of the two activists is relieving the burden on cyclists and pedestrians. Separate paths are intended to make traffic safer and more pleasant. At the same time, noise pollution in the area, which is already over 75 decibels, could be significantly reduced. From an urban planning perspective, this would be a real benefit for the country road.

A major ÖBB S-Bahn upgrade is due next year, which will affect existing slabs. “We ask ourselves whether this is not the right opportunity for the overplatforming,” said the two initiators, who find the existing situation untenable. However, ÖBB has so far expressed concerns and considers over-platforming to be impossible. Legal, technical and economic reasons are given: the building rights for the section in question are owned by a private company, and the technical guidelines for tunnel safety would drastically increase the costs of the project. In addition, the plans for overplating are too late to be integrated into the S-Bahn upgrade, as the building permits had already been processed in 2022.

A community initiative

Sarnitz and Eichinger's ongoing initiatives show how important it is for citizens to actively participate in shaping their surroundings. Urban planning should not only be in the hands of institutions, but it needs committed citizens who raise their voices. There is a buzz in the neighborhood because many are happy about the chance of a greener and more livable environment. We will stay up to date on developments and hope for a positive turnaround for this promising initiative.

So it becomes clear: things could soon change for the better on Landstrasse - and not just for the residents, but for everyone who moves through this part of the city. Citizens are called upon to continue to make their contribution in the future to create a green open space that benefits everyone.