Vienna Bike Path Initiative: Meiselstraße Becomes a Safe and Climate-Friendly Bicycle Street
The Meiselstraße, which runs parallel to the Hütteldorfer Straße, will be transformed into a safe and climate-friendly bicycle street. The first section of the cycling connection along the Hütteldorfer Straße from the Gürtel to the Johnstraße has been completed since the end of 2024. Now, work begins on the second section along the Meiselstraße from the Johnstraße to the Leyserstraße. Planning Councillor Ulli Sima has visited the construction site.
60 New Trees for a Safe and Climate-Ready Bicycle Street in Vienna's Meiselstraße
"The first part of the new cycling connection on the Hütteldorfer Straße is truly a highlight, I personally enjoy using the new two-way bike path very much! Now we continue with the transformation of the Meiselstraße into a bicycle street - here too, all cyclists will be able to ride comfortably and safely through the neighborhood, until it returns to the Hütteldorfer Straße from the Drechslergasse. I am particularly pleased, as always, with the comprehensive greening with more than 60 new trees in this second section alone and 4,000 sqm of unsealed areas!" said Mobility Councillor Ulli Sima.
"With the new bicycle street in the Meiselstraße, we are not only creating a safe and comfortable connection but also setting another milestone for Vienna's cycling traffic. Those who pedal should be able to do so relaxed, safely, and with joy, which is exactly why we are pushing the expansion with full determination. More space for cyclists, fewer obstacles, more greenery - step by step, Vienna is becoming a city where cycling is a matter of course. This is progress you can feel!" emphasized NEOS Vienna Mobility Spokesperson Angelika Pipal-Leixner.
Closing the Gap with Bicycle Street in Vienna's Meiselstraße
"Especially in view of the rapidly advancing global warming, the expansion of the bike path network is an important issue in district politics. It is important to me that there is space for everyone on the streets. A bicycle street as planned in the Meiselstraße makes exactly that possible. A togetherness for everyone. The bicycle street, together with the new section on the Hütteldorfer Straße, is a real gap closure of the cycling network for Penzing. Whenever a new cycling connection is planned, we as a district make the street climate-ready, which means new benches, new trees, or new drinking fountains. This extends to the school forecourt in the Meiselstraße, where students will benefit from a safe school route and more quality of stay in the future. Especially in the densely built-up part of Penzing, public space is often the living room of the people, especially for those who do not have private open spaces," said the District Chairwoman of Penzing Michaela Schüchner.
"Safe cycling routes, wider and child-friendly bicycle streets, and more space for people are concerns brought to the district administration of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus. To meet these needs, the 15th district is consistently implementing measures. This also includes the redesign of streets as part of the city's bike path initiative. After enhancing the Hütteldorfer Straße last year, the optimization of the cycling infrastructure is now being extended to the Meiselstraße up to Penzing. With this section, there will be a traffic-safe cycling connection from the 14th district to Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus and into the inner city districts," said the District Chairman of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus Dietmar Baurecht.
Safety Through Traffic Calming in Vienna's Meiselstraße
An already existing two-way bike path runs over 1.2 km on the Hütteldorfer Straße from the Gürtel to the Wurmsergasse and continues through the Wasserwelt to the Johnstraße. Now, a second section of about 1.3 km along the Meiselstraße is being redesigned. The Meiselstraße will become a bicycle street from the Johnstraße to the Drechslergasse, after which a new bike path will lead on the Hütteldorfer Straße to the Leysergasse. The bicycle street Meiselstraße will be redesigned with a lot of greenery and traffic calming. It will no longer be continuously passable and will mostly become a one-way street out of the city, with exceptions in certain sections. There is a traffic barrier at the school in the Lortzingergasse. Sidewalk extensions improve visibility at intersections. 17 new trees and over 1,000 sqm of green spaces provide shade and cooling. In the second section, over 4,000 sqm will be unsealed and equipped with permeable paving. New benches, tables, drinking fountains, and bike racks enhance the quality of stay.
Green School Forecourt of the Lortzinggasse School
The redesign of Meislstraße includes the greening of the forecourt of the Lortzinggasse School. Between Johnstraße, Sturzgasse, Beckmanngasse, and Hustergasse, car access will be blocked, increasing the safety of the students. The forecourt will feature a water play area, seating, six new trees, and additional green spaces, turning it into a meeting area. Parking options for scooters and bicycles promote environmentally friendly mobility. The second section of the new cycling connection is not yet completed. From Meiselstraße, the existing two-way cycle path leads via Drechslergasse with three new trees to Hütteldorfer Straße. There, a new two-way cycle path is being created along the Theodor-Körner-Kaserne to Leyserstraße by removing the side road in front of the barracks. This allows for a cycle path up to 3.6 m wide and additional greening. About 40 new trees will transform Hütteldorfer Straße into a green avenue. Micro-free spaces and seating invite people to linger.
Improved Situation at the Stops
The "Breitensee" stop of line 49 is being redesigned. The city-bound lane will be removed and become part of the Ludwig-Zazka-Park. Pedestrians will no longer have to cross the street to reach the stop. Cars and trams will share the roadway. The stop will be relocated in front of the intersection with Kendlerstraße, improving the situation for pedestrians and passengers. A safe platform and space for a new cycle path will be created. The area between Ludwig-Zatzka-Park and the S45 Breitensee station will also be made pedestrian-friendly by converting the island stop into a platform, improving the transition to the park and enhancing the surroundings of the S45.
Mega Cycle Path Expands Further in 2026
The new cycling route along Hütteldorfer Straße and Meiselstraße will soon extend from the Gürtel to Leyserstraße over almost three kilometers. In the second section, more than 60 new trees will be planted and over 4,000 square meters will be unsealed, while in the first section, 39 new trees and over 2,000 square meters will be unsealed. The redesign of Hütteldorfer Straße is a clear sign of a climate-friendly future. From 2026, the expansion will continue via Heinrich-Collin-Straße to Waidhausenpark or Baumgarten Cemetery, so that the climate-friendly cycle path will eventually reach an impressive length of four kilometers. In Vienna, there are over 500 green arrows that allow cyclists to turn right or go straight at red lights after a brief stop. This puts Vienna at the forefront in Austria. Eight more green arrows will soon be installed on Hütteldorferstraße at the intersections of Vogelweidplatz, Markgraf-Rüger-Straße, Schweglerstraße, Huglgasse, and Wurmsergasse.
Vienna's Cycle Path Initiative: 250 Projects Implemented
The comprehensive Vienna cycle path initiative continues to be in full swing. By the end of the current legislative period, the progress coalition will have realized or initiated over 250 projects, with almost 100 km in the central cycle path network, and has so far invested around 130 million euros in the expansion of Vienna's cycling infrastructure. Additionally, over 50 km of cycling infrastructure have already been implemented in the district network. These intensive efforts are paying off: the number of cyclists is continuously increasing. According to the 2023 modal split survey, the share of journeys made by bicycle increased to 10% in 2023, compared to 7% in 2019.
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