Drivers are slowed down on Traunsteinstrasse. There is a broad consensus that this is a necessity. The sheet metal avalanche that pushes its way five and a half kilometers in the direction of the turning point in spring and summer is too great a burden. Especially for the residents, who no longer notice much of the much-cited tranquility on the mountain.
“But the current situation is a pure provocation for the Alpine clubs. It also affects all hikers and those looking for relaxation. If you are traveling with children, you cannot do any of the excursion and hiking destinations on the east bank in three hours,” says in a joint letter from the Alpine Club, nature lovers and the hut keepers on the Traunstein.
As reported, the Gmunden municipal council decided on a parking fee of 25 euros per day for the car park at the foot of the Traunstein (around 30 parking spaces). Three hours now cost ten euros, 48 hours of parking time are worth 50 euros. The rest of Traunsteinstraße remains a short-term parking zone (180 minutes) free of charge on weekends and public holidays.
“A fair traffic solution”
Hut owners and numerous members of alpine clubs are now taking to the streets against this traffic concept. A demonstration at the level of the bathing area in Traunsteinstrasse has been registered for Sunday, April 24th, starting at 11 a.m. and has already been approved. It should last around two hours.
Alpine clubs and hut keepers are in favor of moderate charging for the entire road. However, it is more expensive than the current shuttle bus solution (the return trip costs a total of ten euros). One wants to enable a daily transfer for hikers – by bus or ship – in connection with the regional tram and the climate ticket.
“With the involvement of traffic experts, traffic planners, valley landlords, residents and hut landlords, a fair traffic concept must be sought. According to the lowest common denominator, with the greatest benefit for everyone,” says Gerald Auinger, hut landlord of the Gmundnerhütte on the Traunstein.
The Traunsteinstrasse – chronology of a farce
The attempt to calm the traffic on Traunsteinstraße, which has meanwhile degenerated into a farce, began two years ago.
in the Aug 2020 Gmunden city politicians had 50 parking spaces removed between the Gasthof Ramsau and the reversal square and set up shuttle buses to compensate, which brought hikers from the Seebahnhof to the foot of the Traunstein. However, not on weekdays.
Cost: 15 euros (five euros for the parking lot, five euros for the return trip). The entire Traunsteinstraße was declared a short-term parking zone on weekends and public holidays (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
in the March 2021 a billing of the turning point in the municipal council was imminent, but was overturned shortly before the decision was made after violent protests from alpine clubs and hut keepers. It was said that they wanted to work together on a public bus line.
in the July 2021 received Gmunden’s mayor Stefan Krapf (VP) and the then city councilor for transport Wolfgang Sageder (SP) Post from the transport association (OÖVV). An e-mail said that a public bus line to the foot of the Traunstein would be possible as early as 2023. You just need more appointments to vote. The email went unanswered.
in the December 2021 the Gmunden municipal council then decided to charge high fees for the turning point. According to the decision, anyone who buys a 24 or 48-hour ticket and spends the night on the Traunstein should get a refund of ten euros from the hut hosts. However, these were not included in the decision.
in the March 2022 made Reinhold Kassmannhuber, member of the ÖVP parliamentary group and chairman of the transport committee, sit up and take notice with a new initiative: The fees should be reduced to a maximum of 15 euros per day. An hour of parking should then cost one euro. The municipal council must decide these fees again. A circular resolution is on the way. The old regulation is therefore still valid in April.
in the April 2022 this initiative was already history: In a meeting of the transport committee, Kassmannhuber’s compromise proposal was rejected by a majority. Even his own party voted against it. Three dissenting votes and two abstentions ended the farce: the high fees remain.
Source: Nachrichten
