The project team working on the new cycle path in Rankweil-Brederis (© Rankweil municipal authority)

Report from the Rankweil municipal authority:

Section of the Feldkirch-Koblach cycle route opened

On Friday, 16 July, the new section of the regional cycle route from Schweizerstraße to the Ehbach bridge was opened in the presence of those involved in the project. The completion of this approximately 550-metre-long section between Feldkirch and Koblach is another step towards the comprehensive expansion of cycle connections in Vorarlberg.

The cycle path will primarily benefit commuters, who will now be able to travel directly from Feldkirch to Koblach. ‘Previously, it took around twice as long to cycle this route. This straight route was only made possible by relocating the property boundary at the Kunert company,’ explains Rankweil Mayor Katharina Wöß-Krall.

The cost of constructing the new section amounted to around €625,000 gross. This also includes the necessary construction of the new bridge over the Ehbach stream. 70 per cent of the total costs were subsidised by the province of Vorarlberg. In recent years, Rankweil has built 1.1 kilometres of new cycle paths and carried out several renovation and extension works. ‘There are only a few municipalities in Vorarlberg that support the expansion of the cycle path network as much as Rankweil,’ praises Jürgen Lampert from the transport planning office Besch & Partner, responsible for planning the new section. Work on the new cycle path was already completed in spring 2021, but the official opening could only take place now due to the coronavirus pandemic.

First cycle lane in Rankweil

The cycle path is also the first cycle lane in Rankweil. This is a road that is at least four metres wide and on which cyclists have priority and are allowed to ride side by side. Motorised traffic is only allowed to drive at a maximum speed of 30 km/h, but not to pass through. ‘It was necessary to implement this section of cycle path as a cycle lane, as some adjacent properties may be developed in the future and access is required for this. However, there is a strict ban on through traffic,’ explains Katharina Wöß-Krall.

Networked cycle routes in Vorarlberg

All sections of the regional cycle route are based on Vorarlberg's cycling strategy, which regulates cooperation with local authorities, planning, implementation and impact monitoring for all cycling in Vorarlberg. ‘As a long-standing e5 municipality, promoting environmentally friendly mobility is very important to us,’ says Mayor Katharina Wöß-Krall. ‘We very much hope that the ongoing improvements to the infrastructure will make it easier to switch from cars to bikes – especially for short distances within the local area.’

Additional planting

In autumn 2021, native trees will be planted on both sides of the cycle path along this route. This is intended to provide pleasant shade. This measure is also in line with the climate change adaptation strategy and the objectives of the Rhine Valley biotope network.