Vienna Prioritizes Cost-Effective Bike Lane Construction Amid Budget Constraints
Vienna is moving forward with an expanded bicycle network this year, despite tighter budgetary restrictions, by utilizing a more affordable “lightweight construction” method. The city plans to add 12.5 kilometers (approximately 7.7 miles) of new bike lanes through 33 projects in 2026, according to officials.
The shift in strategy comes as the city faces a funding shortfall. “We managed to scrape together 20 million euros with a lot of effort,” said Stadträtin Ulli Sima, Vienna’s City Councilor for Mobility. This approach prioritizes completing existing gaps in the network and addressing challenging sections rather than building entirely new routes.
The lightweight construction differs from traditional bike lane builds. Instead of a fully developed lane with raised curbs, these routes remain at street level and are separated by markings, parking strips, green spaces, or, as seen on Leopold-Ferstl-Gasse, raised thresholds. Leopold-Ferstl-Gasse is one of the streets where this method is being implemented.
The cost savings are significant. A fully developed bike lane on Obere Donaustraße would have cost around 1.8 million euros, while the planned lightweight version will cost approximately 700,000 euros. “This allows us to get more meters of bike path for the same money,” Sima explained.
This move underscores the city’s commitment to expanding cycling infrastructure even with limited resources. Over the past five years, Vienna has already added more than 100 kilometers of new bike infrastructure to its main network, along with 50 kilometers in district networks and around 250 individual projects, representing a total investment of 190 million euros. Construction is also rapidly progressing at the LeopoldQuartier, a timber-built urban quarter in the 2nd district.
The city’s Radwegeprogramm for 2026 was presented on February 25, 2026, coinciding with a period of sunny weather, according to reports.
