6.5 “Grätzlmarie” projects: Focus on Mobility

6. Projects from the Community-building pillar

Lass dich gehen – initiative for pedestrians in the city

A group of people on a traffic island, some wearing red T-shirts, who are clearly waiting for the lights to turn green. Some are holding signs, others red balloons.

Fig. 54: The "Lass dich gehen" initiative aims to raise awareness for pedestrians in the city © City of Vienna/Bojan Schnabl

Various activities were organised with local residents in and along the streets of the neighbourhood around Wallensteinstraße to create greater awareness around barrier-free mobility for pedestrians of all age groups. The programme included a "traffic light race" for pedestrians, an outdoor games afternoon on a traffic-calmed street and walking tours of the neighbourhood led by "mobility scouts".

Funding applicant: Geht-doch, the initiative for pedestrians and related campaigns in the public space
Year implemented: 2023

“Wanderohrwaschln” – pop-up pavement extensions

A wide-angle view of a road junction with a Gründerzeit-style house in the background. Red and white traffic cones mark out the safety zone.

Fig. 55: Pop-up pavement extensions: more space for pedestrian safety. © Ulrich Leth

Over half of the street intersections in the Volkertviertel and Alliiertenviertel neighbourhoods have no pavement extensions (known as "Ohrwaschln", the slang word for ears in Viennese dialect), which presents a danger for pedestrians crossing at the junction. Traffic cones were placed at these road junctions over a period of several days to demonstrate how effective such extensions would be.

Funding applicant: Geht-doch, the initiative for pedestrians and related campaigns in the public space
Year implemented: 2023

FrauenInFahrt women's cycling initiative

A group of women taking part in a cycling course. They are standing in a square and are being supervised by instructors.

Over a two-month period, the FrauenInFahrt initiative offered free, low-threshold cycling lessons for women in the Volkertviertel and Alliiertenviertel neighbourhoods. Women with and without a migrant background were taught by certified cycling instructors in a total of eight sessions between 2023 and 2025.

Funding applicant: Interessensgemeinschaft Fahrrad – Die Radvokaten (cycling lobby)
Years implemented: 2023 to 2025