Expanding the STO will incorporate additional Tempo 30 areas.
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Beginning this Friday, a new traffic rule gets implemented. It doesn't bring about direct transformations, but municipalities now have an expanded array of choices. This could result in an increase of 30 km/h zones or the creation of dedicated lanes. There are aspirations to enhance the parking predicament.
Municipalities now have extended options to establish bus lanes, cycling paths, and 30 km/h zones. The regulations for this have been loosened up due to changes in traffic law that goes into effect this Friday. These modifications cleared the Bundesrat in July and were published in the Federal Law Gazette on Thursday. They come into effect the next day. To prevent rear-end collisions in trucks, there are now stricter guidelines in place.
A representative from the Federal Ministry of Transport mentioned that states and municipalities now have more liberty to address local demands. "The implementation of a uniform 30 km/h speed limit won't occur," she underlined. Below is a breakdown of the regulations:
30 km/h Zones
The formation of 30 km/h zones is contingent on specific circumstances. They can be implemented, for example, near kindergartens, schools, nursing homes, or hospitals. These possibilities are now being extended to include the vicinity of playgrounds and pedestrian crossings, as well as "high-frequency school routes" - which isn't limited to directly in front of schools, but also encompasses the journey there, traffic speed can be lowered to 30 km/h. In the future, two 30 km/h zones can be linked together more easily (known as "gap closure"). Previously, they could be up to 300 meters apart, now they can be up to 500 meters apart.
Special Lanes
The establishment of special lanes for buses or separate traffic lights for electric vehicles, hydrogen cars, and multiple-occupancy vehicles will be easier to initiate, as will providing ample space for cyclists and pedestrians. Authorities will also be able to establish lanes to test climate-friendly mobility solutions. This will also address safety concerns by grouping varying speeds when starting.
Parking
Residential parking zones for personal vehicle owners will be an effective method for managing parking pressure in urban areas. In the future, they can be implemented not just in response to significant parking pressure but also for traffic planning and urban development purposes to avert such pressure.
Loading Zones
A uniform traffic sign with the definition "loading area" will be introduced for separate parking spaces for loading and unloading for both private and commercial purposes. Parking and stopping at such places will only be permitted for loading and unloading. This aims to diminish parking congestion and stopping and parking in the second row, which frequently causes traffic jams and accidents. The new blue signs will mark loading zones with a time limit, and the area can also be marked on the road.
Starting this Friday, vehicles above 3.5 tonnes will be prohibited from disabling their Emergency Brake Assist systems at speeds exceeding 30 kilometers per hour. Particularly on highways, major accidents can often occur when heavy trucks, for instance, rear-end vehicles at the end of a traffic jam. These systems alert drivers to potential collisions and automatically slow down the vehicle.
The new traffic regulations, effective from Friday, have given more freedom to municipalities, as represented by the Commission, to implement measures such as expanding the use of 30 km/h zones and creating dedicated lanes. Under the revised traffic law, municipalities now have the ability to establish 30 km/h zones around playgrounds and high-frequency school routes, as well as in specific circumstances near facilities like kindergartens and hospitals.
