Eternal back and forth

Political hammer: green light for construction of Lobau Tunnel

As expected, SPÖ Transport Minister Peter Hanke puts the Lobau Tunnel back on track.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Karl Schöndorfer, EXPA)

After almost 17 years of intensive scrutiny, Austria's most controversial transport project is "back on track". SPÖ Minister Peter Hanke and ASFINAG boss Hartwig Hufnagl gave the green light on Thursday for the closure of the gap in the regional ring road in the north of Vienna - and thus also for the Lobau Tunnel.

Hardly any other transport project has ever caused as much discussion in Austria as the construction of the Lobau Tunnel. The project has been on the agenda since 1993, and in 2002 the construction of the S1 was included in the Federal Roads Act. Since then, the dimensions of the project have been changed several times and the start of the project has been delayed. The basis for this was ultimately also a luxury expert opinion revealed by the "Krone", the former transport minister of the Green Party, Leonore Gewessler. The evaluation cost a whopping 460,000 euros.

Decision announced soon
Just at the beginning of the week, SPÖ Transport Minister Peter Hanke announced in the "Krone" that a decision on the construction of the Lobau Tunnel would be made "soon". Together with Hartwig Hufnagl, the director of ASFINAG, he then presented the plans for the "S1 Vienna Outer Ring Expressway" today. 

The result: after almost 17 years of intensive examination, the closure of the gap in the regional ring road in the north of Vienna is on its way. The S1 Vienna Outer Ring Expressway is considered to be the best examined transportation project in Austria. More than 20 route variants have been examined and numerous expert opinions have been prepared.

As expected, SPÖ Transport Minister Peter Hanke puts the Lobau Tunnel back on track.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Karl Schöndorfer, EXPA)

According to Hanke and Hufnagl, the route from the Süßenbrunn junction via Raasdorf to the Schwechat junction, including a tunnel solution, is the optimal way to meet the requirements of the region in terms of the living and economic area. After all, the prosperous Vienna-Lower Austria region with its almost four million inhabitants needs an efficient infrastructure, especially in the coming decades. 

The solution, they both argue, lies in relieving the traffic arteries with the S1, which, like the human heart, should serve as a bypass for the overloaded traffic arteries Südosttangente A23, A4, A2, A1 and S2.

Stimulus for the economy
However, the S1 is not just an infrastructure project, it will also have a positive impact on the labor market and the regional economy. According to WIFO and ECO Austria, closing the gap in the ring of regions will secure up to 25,000 jobs. In the long term, the project will generate added value of four billion euros for Austria as a business location. "We need an ideology-free and fact-based solution to this challenge instead of blockade politics," explains SPÖ Minister Hanke. 

Facts about the south-east bypass

Almost 200,000 vehicles cross Vienna's south-east bypass (A23) every day. Every year, around 900,000 through trucks put a massive strain on Vienna and the existing road network. This makes it the busiest road in Austria. According to ASFiNAG, there are around 5.5 hours of congestion on an average working day, putting a strain on people and the economy

The damage to Austria's economy caused by the congestion costs on the A23 is currently estimated at around 500 million euros per year. This makes the need for swift action all the greater. The connection will also create the basis for more than 27,000 new apartments and living space in Donaustadt for 55,000 people and better accessibility for businesses.

The project is divided into two construction phases. The first construction phase is due to start next year. However, the second construction phase, which includes the controversial Lobau Tunnel, cannot start until 2030 at the earliest as, according to the ministry, proceedings are still pending. 

The S1 project in detail

The project will be built in two stages:

• Stage 1: Groß-Enzersdorf - Süßenbrunn
  With a length of 10.8 kilometers, nine bridges, five green bridges and two major junctions, this first section of the project connects Vienna's largest urban development area, Seestadt Aspern, to the high-ranking road network via the so-called S1-Spange. Construction will begin in spring 2026, is estimated to cost around EUR 500 million and will take around six years. The Groß-Enzersdorf-Süßenbrunn section is already effective in terms of traffic and will relieve around 100,000 people in the Vienna districts of Essling, Aspern and Breitenlee, as well as the villages of Raasdorf and Groß-Enzersdorf. For the first stage, or "realization section 1", all the necessary permits have already been legally approved and construction can begin in 2026.
• Stage 2: Schwechat - Groß-Enzersdorf (Danube-Lobau Tunnel) The 8.3 km long road section comprises a tunnel in closed construction. With two tubes (two lanes each) and state-of-the-art safety technology, transit traffic will pass under the Danube and under the Lobau. The Donau-Auen National Park will remain completely untouched. Current estimates assume that construction will start in 2030 and will cost EUR 2.2 billion, with the construction period estimated at around ten years. Proceedings are still pending for this stage (realization section 2), which must be awaited.

ASFINAG pays around 2.7 billion euros
The total planned construction costs for both stages amount to around 2.7 billion euros and will be financed entirely by ASFiNAG. Due to the independent financing logic of the road operator, nobody is paying for the project who does not use high-ranking road infrastructure themselves. 

The demonstrators have already taken up position again in the past few days and threatened new protests. "We are ready for all possible forms of protest and also reserve the right to occupy areas again," threatens Jutta Matysek, chairwoman of the citizens' initiative "Save the Lobau" in the "Krone". Massive protest from the Green Party is also to be expected. Lena Schilling, who gained notoriety through her protest against the project, has already spoken out to the "Krone".

Lena Schilling.(Bild: Klemens Groh )

Schilling attacks the SPÖ
"Promising climate protection on Wednesday, then building the highway on Thursday: Yesterday, the SPÖ was still talking big about the climate, but behind it was nothing but hot air. Julia Herr proudly professes her commitment to climate protection, today Peter Hanke is already announcing the Lobau Tunnel - a highway straight into the climate catastrophe. We are concreting over our future with billions of euros in order to destroy a nature reserve. Andreas Babler turns out to be a pure climate air act. Dear SPÖ: Those who sow roads will reap resistance," explains the Green Party.