A “Krone” survey showed that Salzburgers are clearly in favor of the measure on the Tauernautobahn. However, the exit barriers have their limits, because anyone with a destination in Austria can leave.
Tourist traffic on the Tauernautobahn has been increasing for years. The corona pandemic in particular has intensified the trend away from planes to cars – to the chagrin of the transit countries. In order to keep at least the smaller roads away from the motorway free for locals and emergency services, the country decided on exit barriers for travelers passing through. But that only works partially because there are too many ways to bypass the locks. The tenor of the citizens of Salzburg is: the locks should be controlled much more strictly. More staff for the controls since the holidays The state has therefore increased the number of inspectors. A private security service, the police and Asfinag employees try to keep the vehicles on the motorway. “It’s still tedious on the travel weekends,” reports a taxi driver from the city of Salzburg. “One problem is that many people drive through the city of Salzburg onto the state roads and get as far as Hallein. That also happens with the exit barriers,” confirms Christian Teng from Hallein. Those holidaymakers who come from Germany and leave the A8 early can also avoid the roadblocks in the border towns of Wals, Großgmain and Grödig. This shifts traffic back to lower-ranking roads and causes traffic jams in the towns. This means a recurring burden for the locals. “I don’t even go shopping on Saturday anymore,” says Angela Holleis from Kuchl. Because from the side streets you can no longer get out onto the main street in the traffic avalanche. Excursions from places in Tennengau close to the motorway are considered twice by the locals. Matthias Grünwald has a good overview of the exit barriers. The entrepreneur runs a gas station in Puch. “I do have the feeling that fewer people leave the autobahn, but the locks should be controlled much more rigorously.” He suspects that more and more navigation systems are showing the locks. Last year there were protests by citizens in Golling. But the place at the Pass Lueg is not only plagued by traffic on the travel weekends. The people of Golling see the connection in Kuchl as one reason, where you cannot drive south. The requirement: an additional driveway.
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