Politics | 09 Jul 2024

Federal, State, and Municipalities in the Lienz Valley invest 4.8 million euros in the cycling network

The city region of Lienz, united in the strategic city-countryside cooperation "Zukunftsraum Lienzer Talboden", includes 15 municipalities, covers an area of 471 km², and has 28,000 inhabitants. Since 2013, the member municipalities have been working closely together on infrastructure and site development issues, including mobility. More than 18,000 people commute to this area daily to get to work or reach their place of education.

To promote the connection to the city and the networking with neighboring municipalities through active mobility, the so-called everyday cycling network will be extensively expanded in the next two years. "With the project "Everyday Cycling Paths Planning Association 36", gaps and bottlenecks in the existing cycling network between the valley floor municipalities and the city of Lienz will be made safe for traffic and closed," reveals the chairman of Planning Association 36 and Mayor of Oberlienz, Markus Stotter.

The federal government (Klimaaktiv mobile cycling), the state (Tyrolean cycling concept) and the planning association municipalities are investing around 4.8 million euros in this project. “We want to make cycling and walking more convenient and safer as an environmentally friendly and healthy form of mobility in the Lienz valley floor,” explains Lienz Mayor Elisabeth Blanik at the official groundbreaking ceremony in the municipality of Assling. The connection between the Thal district and the redesigned train station represents the first construction phase of this major modern mobility project.

Like all planned everyday cycle paths in the Lienz valley floor, this one will also lead in the future in the sense of optimizing mobility chains to the mobility center Lienz train station, where all interfaces to public transport (train and bus), generous bicycle parking areas and a separate platform for cyclists can be found.

For Deputy Governor Dr. Georg Dornauer, responsible for the cycle paths in the state of Tyrol, an exemplary project: “Our primary goal is to further expand the cycling infrastructure in order to offer locals and guests an extensive network of safe and well-developed cycle paths throughout the country. Because one thing is clear: the more and better developed cycle paths are available, the faster, more comfortable and safer routes can be covered by bike. Our goal is to expand additional kilometers of cycle paths across the country in the coming years and to improve the infrastructure. Because every meter covered on the bike is a gain – for people and the environment.”

Project details, data, facts:

Project name: Everyday cycle paths planning association 36

Planned project costs: €4.8 million gross

New construction: approx. 7,100 m everyday cycle path

Cycle path bridge in Stribach

Structural implementation: 2024 to 2026

Supported by funds: BMK Climate Ministry, “Climate Active Mobile Cycling”, State of Tyrol, funding for the Tyrolean cycling concept, own funds from the affected communities

Construction work on the cycle path network will be implemented in the following communities as part of the project:

City of Lienz, market town of Nußdorf/Debant, Dölsach, Oberlienz, Leisach, Assling, Tristach, Lavant

These structural measures are planned for the cycle paths:

Municipality of Lienz:

Improvement of the cycle underpass in the Pfister district, connection to the Iseltal cycle path

Cycle path at the OMV gas station

Tristacherstrasse cycle path junction

Eichholzbrücke cycle path to Hofgartenbrücke

Adaptation of the cycle path on Nußdorfer Straße

Market town of Nußdorf-Debant and Dölsach:

Construction of a walking and cycling bridge from Stribach to Debant

Municipality of Oberlienz: