Road system in Austria

In the road system in Austria , the roads can be divided according to various criteria .

Classification according to the road traffic regulations

In the road traffic regulations , the following distinctions are made for roads:

Subdivision according to location

Local area

Local area (Section 2, Paragraph 1, Item 15) is the road network within the sign of the place- name sign (Section 53, line 17a) and end of town (Section 53, line 17b).

Open road

Open roads (Section 2, Paragraph 1, Item 16) are roads outside of local areas and, provided they are not motorways or motorways, can be used equally by all road users. The latter does not apply to roads that are banned from use (driving bans for individual types of vehicle, weight restrictions, etc., or pedestrian bans).

The maximum permissible speed on open roads is 100 km / h for cars and motorcycles, 80 km / h with a heavy trailer and 70 km / h for trucks, unless the authorities issue a lower maximum speed or allow higher speeds (see Section 20 (2)).

Special roads for motor vehicle traffic

Highway

Highway

The marking of the motorways ( § 46 StVO) is carried out by the international traffic sign "Autobahn" (according to the StVO the signs beginning and end of a motorway).

The maximum permissible speed for cars and motorcycles is 130 km / h, with trailers and buses 100 km / h, for trucks 80 km / h, provided that the authorities do not issue a lower maximum speed or allow higher speeds (see Section 20, Paragraph 2 of the Road Traffic Regulations). . Abolishing or increasing the general 130 speed limit on motorways is occasionally publicly discussed. Between 2006 and 2007 a test track was operated on the Tauern Autobahn at 160 km / h. From August 2018 to February 2020, a test speed limit of 140 km / h for cars was in effect on two 120-kilometer sections of the western motorway between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Motorways may only be used by vehicles that have a design speed of at least 60 km / h. In addition, all road users on the autobahn, as far as the circumstances permit, are not allowed to drive so slowly that other road users are hindered or endangered. Motorways may not be used with bicycles , motorbikes , microcars , wagons or even on foot. Towing with rope is only allowed until the next exit and this is specially secured and with max. 30 km / h. Towing with a tow bar (max. 40 km / h) is permitted on the motorway.

Motorways within the meaning of the Federal Roads Act must also be motorways within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act. This means that they must have a level clearance , structurally separate directional lanes and at least two lanes in each direction. Expressways can also be signposted as motorways under road traffic law, if they meet all the requirements for this.

In terms of the road traffic regulations, motorways are always open-air roads, even if they lead through built-up areas. Therefore, since this provision was made, there has always been the traffic sign "End of town" on motorway entrances in the city area, previously it could also be placed on a motorway.

Car road

Car road

The marking is carried out by the international traffic sign "Autostraße" (according to the StVO the signs start and end of a car street).

Highways ( § 47 Highway Code), according StVO priority roads. The provisions contained in Section 46 Paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 regarding traffic on motorways apply accordingly (use only with vehicles with a design speed of at least 60 km / h, etc., according to Paragraph 1; behavior in the event of breakdowns according to Paragraph 1). 3; prohibitions on motorways according to paragraph 4).

As a rule, motorways differ from motorways in that their structural design is more economical than that of motorways. The bandwidth therefore ranges from a motorway-like cross-section to a conventional country road. The maximum speed on motorways is 100 km / h for cars and motorbikes, as is the case on open-air roads, unless traffic signs allow a different speed.

According to the Federal Roads Act, motorways can be expressways as well as state roads . In contrast to motorways, motorways do not necessarily have to be open country roads, but can lead through the local area in accordance with the road traffic regulations.

Subdivision by street name

"In order to better orient the users of roads, in particular roads that serve interstate long-distance traffic and inland through traffic, the authority has to designate roads with letters or numbers by ordinance."

Europastrasse

Europastrasse

The course of a European road is signposted in Austria with the international main traffic route sign (Section 53, Paragraph 1, Item 18). The marking is done by rectangular panels with an E in connection with a number in white writing on a green background and with a white border. Main international traffic routes ( European roads ) are always priority roads and usually motorways, expressways or national roads B.

Road with priority

Road with priority

A road with priority is marked with a square sign with a white number on a blue background (Section 53, Paragraph 1, Item 19). The explanation of the sign reads: "This sign shows the number (Section 43, Paragraph 5) of a priority road."

Historical: Until the transfer of the former federal highways B to the state administration on April 1, 2002, the designation of the sign was given priority and “shows the course of a federal road with priority”.

Road without priority

Road without priority

Other roads in the numbering system that are not priority roads are marked as non-priority roads . The corresponding almost rectangular sign with circular segments delimiting the left and right shows the number 1368 in black letters on a white background with a black border (Section 53, Paragraph 1, Item 21). The explanation of the sign reads: "This sign shows the number (Section 43, Paragraph 5) of a street that has not been declared a priority street."

Historically: federal highway without priority

Historically: federal highway without priority

This type of road applied to the former federal highways B , which were not prescribed as priority roads (see above, “Roads with priority”).

The associated traffic sign - a circular sign on a yellow background with a black number 25 (Section 53, Paragraph 1, Line 20) - was removed from the road traffic regulations without replacement when the former federal roads were transferred to the state administration and may no longer be prescribed (coll.: Set up) become. All existing "boards" should be removed from the streets by December 31, 2005. However, this has not yet been fully implemented, so that such signs can still be seen occasionally, such as For example, the signs for Stubaitalstrasse B 183 in Fulpmes , Bad Vöslauer Strasse B 212 in Baden near Vienna or, as a special curiosity, Erdöl Strasse B48 in Dobermannsdorf , which is only signposted in the local area of ​​Dobermannsdorf as a federal road with no priority, but otherwise one Road is priority.

Priority road

Priority road

A priority road is identified by the international traffic sign for a road with priority as the priority road, whose “start and course” and “end” according to § 52 lit. c) Z. 25a and 25b is to be decreed (collateral labeled). The international traffic signs give priority (Z. 23; coll .: a subordinate board) must be ordered (coll. Set up) at the intersection in the converging streets . If a priority road takes a special course at an intersection, this is marked with an additional sign in accordance with Section 54 54 Paragraph 5 lit. e) to be marked.

The priority road in Germany is similar to the Austrian priority road, but not to be equated with it, since the regulation of priority road and priority road sometimes involves significantly different rights and obligations.

Classification of the streets according to the street maintainer

The road maintainer is responsible for the condition of the roads. On the other hand, the road maintainer also receives the fines collected on the respective road.

Federal highway according to the federal highway law

→ Main article : Federal roads in Austria

history

An imperial patent from 1726 designated important thoroughfares as the main commercial routes . From then on, these roads were maintained and expanded at the expense of the state, which was partly financed by tolls. In the late 19th century, these streets were known as Reichsstraßen. In border regions of high strategic importance, for example along the Italian border, road construction was advanced with state funds.

Through the federal law of July 8, 1921, the former imperial roads in Austria (with a total length of 3620 km) were taken over as federal roads. The ordinance of the federal government of June 9, 1933 expanded the network of federal roads, which from then on comprised 4,437 km.

On April 1, 2002 by the Federal Road Act transfer all the main roads B to the provinces transferred, that are now state roads. The only federal highways are therefore only motorways ( federal highway A ) and expressways ( federal highway S ).

The legal basis for the division of federal highways is the Federal Roads Act 1971 in the version of April 1, 2002.

In 2010, work began on building a section of a former federal road, Horner Strasse , in the form of a PPP , or renewing and expanding it.

Motorway and expressway

Motorways and expressways are federal highways . In 1982, the federal government transferred maintenance and financing tasks to the state operating company ASFINAG .

Every motorway and expressway has a name that is derived from a location or region and also has a numerical designation with a preceding A or S (e.g. West Autobahn A 1).

With the 2006 amendment to the Federal Roads Act 1971, all distinctions between motorways and expressways were abolished. However, there are still some expressways without a motorway cross-section, which are constantly being expanded. The legislator formulated the requirements for federal highways A and S as follows:

1. "The federal highways are suitable for high-speed traffic in the sense of the road police regulations, do not overlap with other traffic routes at the same height and do not serve the local development."
2. “Connections are made to the rest of the public road network. Junction points on ramps of junction points and access and exit roads are not permitted. With the exception of the beginning or end of a federal highway, junctions must be level-free. "

Since the Highway Code has no expressway, these are either depending on road cross-section of motorway or highway signs. Motorways, on the other hand, are always motorways under road traffic law.

In the case of new construction projects for motorways and expressways, private companies are also involved in the operation and toll revenues as part of public-private partnership models. The first such project for which Bonaventura Straßenerrichtungs-GmbH was awarded the contract is “Project Y”, which was completed at the end of January 2010 (sections of the north A 5 motorway , Vienna outer ring expressway S 1 and Vienna north edge expressway S 2).

The first plans go back to the Reichsautobahn during the time of National Socialism . Even then, the first section of the western motorway near Salzburg was built.

Vignettes and tolls are compulsory on motorways and expressways .

See also : List of motorways and expressways in Austria

Historically: Bundesstrasse B

→ Main article : Federal roads in Austria

State road

State roads are maintained by the respective federal states. In Vienna , state roads are naturally also municipal roads.

State road B and main road B

On April 1, 2002, all federal highways that were not motorways or expressways were transferred to the federal states. These former federal highways B continue to bear the abbreviation B and a name derived from the region, e.g. B. Brünner Strasse (B 7). Colloquially, these roads are still referred to as federal roads. In Vorarlberg , the designation was B by L replaced. In Vienna is the name Main Street B .

See also: List of former federal highways in Austria , federal highways in Austria # Landesstraße B

State road L and main road A.

These roads are the formerly high-ranking regional roads which (with the exception of Vorarlberg) were never under federal administration. You have the abbreviation L . These streets have a one to four-digit number depending on their traffic significance, but they are usually not signposted and the number is mainly used for administrative purposes. Until 1999 the designation LH for state main road existed in some federal states . In Vienna the name is Hauptstrasse A , but there is no numbering.

Municipal road

Municipal roads do not have their own markings or numbers, but are only designated with the street names assigned by the municipality or remain nameless (outside the local area). They are then named with the location , which is also a house number zone, so change their designation depending on the location.

Since Vienna is a municipality and a federal state at the same time, municipal roads are also state roads. These are divided into secondary roads , main roads A (corresponding to a state road L in other federal states) and main roads B (former federal highways B , these still have a number).

Private road

Private roads are roads that are not part of the public sector but are owned by a natural or legal person. It can be, for. B. entrances to a shopping center where the whole system is treated as a private road. Petrol stations are usually private, but part of the motorway on motorways.

You can often recognize a private road by a sign that says "StVO" or a driving ban sign "except ...". As a rule, private roads may only be used by local residents . The road traffic regulations also apply on private roads if they can be used by everyone under the same conditions. It applies on other private roads unless the road maintenance authority has ordered otherwise.

Private public road

The private public road occupies a special position . For example, the Tyrolean Roads Act in Section 34 (section Public Private Roads ) defines - other federal states accordingly:

“Private public roads are those roads that do not belong to any other group of public roads that

a) are devoted to public use by the person entitled to dispose of the road by declaring to the authority or

b) have served to cover an urgent need for public transport for at least 30 years regardless of the will of the person authorized to use the road. "

This type also includes some of the most important pass roads - and also excursion roads - in Austria, such as the Grossglockner High Alpine Road Salzburg - Carinthia, the Gerlos Alpine Road Salzburg - North Tyrol (both owned by GROHAG) or the Silvretta High Alpine Road Tyrol - Vorarlberg (Illwerke). These are typically toll roads. The north ramp of Großglocknerstrasse Bruck - Fusch, which, although owned by GROHAG, is designated as Landesstrasse L (L 271), has a special position here. The toll is only collected in Ferleiten after seven kilometers. Until the federal road was abolished, Gerlos (formerly B 165) and Silvrettastrasse (B 188) were also integrated into a federal road train. Since the owner or operator is responsible for maintaining and servicing, these public private roads are usually closed in winter .

In addition, there are numerous private roads that were created as public road for prospective customers or as non-public roads, but are now publicly used (such as the rural side roads marked as goods roads).

Road for prospective customers: supply road, forest road

Freight roads and forest roads are maintained by a private road maintenance company, an interest group (often also jointly by private residents and local authorities) or a federal state. For freight routes, there are usually only access rights for residents or residents. There are also only limited access rights for forest roads .

Rival street

The not very common term of competition is a form of organization for an association, especially for the construction and maintenance of a road, and dates back to the times of the monarchy. Competing roads are those in which the costs of construction or maintenance are divided between several partners and this is also precisely regulated by contract, and whose developer is an independent legal entity . Other related structures, such as bridges or the like, are also referred to as competing objects.

Maintenance carriers of the roads

Federal roads are of the motorway maintenance Asfinag , state roads of the road maintenance condition of the federal states. The municipalities themselves are responsible for local roads, private ones for private roads. There are also agreements where certain parts of the road are serviced by the other places, especially when clearing snow .

Legal sources

• Federal Roads Act 1971 (BStG 1971). StF: Federal Law Gazette No. 286/1971 (idgF online, ris.bka ) - Appendix lists of federal highways A (federal highways ) and federal highways S (federal highways) .

  See also federal highways in Austria

State law - overview of the state roads:

• Lower Austria: Lower Austria state road directory (online, ris.bka).
• Styria: Street directory - Styria . (online, verkehr.steiermark.at).
• Vienna: Ordinance of the Vienna City Council regarding the determination of the main streets and side streets . (online, wien.gv.at).

Important information is missing from this article or section. Help Wikipedia by researching and pasting it .

historical:

• Federal Roads Act of February 18, 1948, as amended by Federal Law Gazette No. 49/1948 (pdf, ris.bka) -FederalRoads DirectoryA – D
• Federal Highway Act as amended in 1971 . Gazette No. 286/1971. (Pdf, ris.bka) - directories federal roads A, S, B .

Web links

Commons : Roads in Austria by state  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Street search: For the course of the street, see the state GIS, subject of traffic, etc. - The search or "i" shows the exact course and the running kilometers (can be switched on as a layer later).

Individual evidence

1. ^ Republic of Austria: Top speeds. In: HELP.gv.at. Retrieved August 1, 2016 . 
2. ↑ One month "Tempo 160" on the A10 -. In: oesterreich.ORF.at. June 6, 2006, accessed August 1, 2016 . 
3. ↑ Out for Tempo 160. In: oesterreich.ORF.at. April 21, 2007, accessed August 1, 2016 . 
4. ↑ Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology and ASFINAG: Start of the Tempo 140 pilot project on the A1 West Autobahn on August 1, 2018. In: ots.at. Retrieved July 24, 2018 . 
5. ↑ orf.at: From Sunday: Off for Tempo 140. In: orf.at. Retrieved June 28, 2020 . 
6. ↑ E.g. see signs according to § 53 StVO 1960
7. ^ Niederösterreichische Nachrichten , issue 18/2010, page 28
8. ↑ Federal Roads Act
9. ↑ ^{a b c} main roads A and B - general federal road planning, wien.at → traffic & urban development → urban development → planning and projects → traffic planning → general road planning
10. ↑ cf. Franz Weyer: The Austrian road system from 1891 to 1904. In: KK Central Statistical Commission : Statistical monthly , XII. Volume (NF), Brno 1907, pp. 113–141, esp. Pp. 115 ff. On the specificities of the individual crown lands ( online reader , archive.org, there in particular p. 127 ff.).
11. ↑ Example from Styria: Section 7 Paragraph 1 Z 3 Styrian State Road Administration Act 1964 (LStVG 1964) StF: LGBl. No. 154/1964.

 Map with all linked sites: OSM | WikiMap