After S1 Decision: Expansion of Vienna's Seestadt Moves Closer
In Vienna's City Hall, there is joy over the federal decision to realize the Northeast Bypass (S1) after all. This also allows for further expansion of the "Seestadt" district in the 22nd district. This was emphasized by City Planning Councilor Ulli Sima (SPÖ) during a local inspection with District Chairman Ernst Nevrivy (SPÖ) and representatives of developers and site developers on Friday. However, it is likely to take several more years before work actually begins.
The former airfield in Aspern is already partially settled. 12,000 people now live there in the southern part. However, the new district is designed for 25,000 residents. A large part is currently still undeveloped - a desert with a subway connection, as Sima put it during a visit to the wasteland: "I think this is the place where we can best explain our problem."
Vacant Land with Subway Connection Awaits Development
The reason nothing is progressing, according to the city, is the urban environmental impact assessment, which requires an appropriate road connection. Former Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) had stopped the bypass project, which is still held against her in City Hall today. The new department head Peter Hanke (SPÖ) - who was a city councilor in Vienna for a long time - recently gave the green light again. This now also enables the further development of the district, they expressed confidence today.
The northern part of the S1 and the link between the highway and Seestadt are particularly significant. The so-called city street, the connection to the Tangente, is also important here. This project, for which the city itself is responsible, is already under construction. The connection to the south, the section with the Lobau Tunnel, is not formally a prerequisite for Vienna's plans.
Construction Start Only in a Few Years
However, work in Seestadt will not begin immediately. The occupancy of the new residential buildings must not occur before the roads are operational, Sima explained. Therefore, the planning of Asfinag is needed to calculate when construction can begin in Seestadt. It is likely to take several more years before this happens, according to estimates in City Hall.
The city itself sees the prerequisites for further expansion as fulfilled. "We are ready to start," assured Robert Grüneis, the board member of the Aspern Development Company. The present representatives of the developers agreed. Currently, valuable building land remains unused, and this despite the fact that there are thousands of reservations with non-profit organizations, it was lamented.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.