Petition seeks 30 km/h limit on Vienna’s Gürtel ring road

A petition is calling for a 30 km/h speed limit on Vienna’s Gürtel ring road, citing lower noise levels, fewer accidents and traffic jams, cleaner air and a better quality of public space, ORF reported. The Gürtelliebe initiative is collecting signatures, although the proposal is unlikely to be implemented for several reasons.

Vienna’s strategy is to concentrate traffic on major through-roads while easing the burden on residential neighbourhoods with 30 km/h limits. Applying the same limit to the Gürtel could encourage drivers to use residential areas instead, said Markus Raab, head of the city’s traffic organisation department, MA46.

“That means I would reduce traffic on the Gürtel with a 30 km/h limit, but at the cost of having more traffic in residential areas again,” Raab said.

Another obstacle is the road traffic code, which provides for a 50 km/h limit in built-up areas. A lower limit requires special reasons and may be possible in residential areas, but is legally difficult to enforce on roads that are important for traffic.

There have already been several attempts, ideas and projects to calm traffic on the Gürtel around Vienna’s inner districts. Around 70,000 cars use the road each day. Just over 500 people have so far signed the “30 km/h for the Gürtel” petition.