TRUE URBAN SPIRIT

4 VIENNA: NETWORKING THE CITY
SPACE
FOR
PEOPLE
The systematic prioritisation of eco-friendly means of transport
also opens up new possibilities for a more equitable distribution
and more attractive design of streetscapes. Vienna will avail itself
of this possibility for the gradual refurbishment of public space in
order to permit novel and multifaceted forms of use. In the future
and in particular in densely inhabited (residential) quarters, priority
will not only be given to traffic management or the availability
of parking slots, but to atmospheric quality, so that public space
can be recovered for other forms of use, such as communication,
business, leisure, play and culture.
FROM STREET SPACE
TO PUBLIC SPACE
The recovery of public space calls for a profound
change of paradigms in the planning and organisation
of traffic: parking space management already constituted
an important step to reduce the number of
cars parked on the streets and hence to make room
for other, non-commercial forms of use. Atmospheric
quality, aesthetic appeal and functionality of the
recovered space are enhanced e. g. by high-quality
design and art in public space, by creating encounter
zones , by redesigning now obsolete parking lanes
as temporary and permanent street gardens and sitting
areas or cycle lanes, by reducing traffic surfaces
or by setting up and upgrading multimodal traffic
infrastructure facilities (bike parking spaces, spaces
for all types of sharing systems, etc.). The activities
proposed are developed and conducted in co-operation
with the municipal districts.
New Car Park Programme
Further development and implementation of an overall
strategy (including an evaluation of measures taken so far)
for parking space management in Vienna.
Recovery of street space by means of the targeted reduction
of street-level parking slots accompanied by the construction
of subsidised underground car parks (> see below:
New Car Park Programme).
Promotion of the smooth coexistence of road users by
means of instruments such as encounter zones.
Decommissioning of selected road sections – streets no
longer needed for motorised individual traffic are to be put at
the service of walking, cycling and public transport or redesigned
to improve their atmospheric quality.
Implementation of local, temporary or permanent
pilot measures to recover public space, mainly in areas with
a dearth of public parks and playgrounds (> 4.2 Vienna
revives – open spaces: green & urban – Flagship initiative:
Vienna’s open space network).
Implementation of standard cross-sections for newly built
roads in urban development zones, as this approach takes
more account of the great importance of eco-friendly means
of transport than was usual in the past, offers sufficient
space for walking, cycling and public transport and meets
exacting design requirements.
Concentration of traffic in main streets and large-scale
traffic calming in residential zones, inter alia by means of
30 km/h (20 mph) zones, encounter zones, etc.
The New Car Park Programme for Vienna promotes
garage construction above all in locations
where despite control measures of traffic
policy, such as parking space management,
the demand for parking slots is still massive.
The subsidised construction of collective ga -
rages in residential quarters will focus above all
on Gründerzeit quarters and densely built-up
urban zones with a clear need for more parking
slots. The construction of additional parking
slots is to create a shift towards more permanent
parking slots in garages and significantly
more room to move in public space for people
(cycling, walking, lingering) and public
transport.
110