2023-11-07 04:45:00
There wasn’t much time to take a breather. Because the calm following the tourist storm, which those who live between Steinbach and Weyregg on Attersee had hoped for, was broken once more on Monday night. In the Alexenau area, known for the small natural swimming area, trees fell onto Seeleitenstrasse (B152). They were quickly removed, but there was no all-clear. On the contrary: “Urgent protective forest management measures” are now necessary, according to the Vöcklabruck district administration. This is associated with “significant burdens” and “detours” for the local population. From Monday, November 13th to Saturday, December 23rd, there will be a total closure in the area between the communities of Steinbach and Weyregg am Attersee. However, there will always be time windows in which passage is possible.
Danger of falling rocks
Intensive work will be carried out in the “Bannwald Seeleiten” for six weeks, and even with “ideal conditions and the greatest possible caution” there might be “incalculable dangers” such as falling trees and falling rocks. The district administration is trying to keep the unpleasant burdens on the population in the region, but also on businesses and visitors, as low as possible by “very carefully” weighing up interests. But: “Without the planned measures, the long-term protection of the Seeleitenstrasse through the forest cannot be guaranteed,” it says.
The last major maintenance and use intervention to date was carried out in the Seeleiten forest in December 2012. The old and decaying stands used at the time had developed into young tree crops, which is close to ideal in terms of protective effect, according to the district administration. But the remaining forests have also grown once more for ten years.
For the people in Steinbach, the week-long closure is an unpleasant reminder of February 1, 2021: On that day, a twelve-ton boulder fell from the slopes of the Schoberstein onto the B152 riverside road. Although no one was injured, the federal highway remained closed for months. After the accident, the authorities decided to improve the rockfall protection over the bank. 6.5 million euros are being spent on this. The state and federal government take on the lion’s share, but the federal forestry authorities and the municipality of Steinbach also take part.
Author
Gabriel Egger
Editor Upper Austria
Gabriel Egger
1699339289
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