
Berlin’s Pankow district may abandon six planned *Kiezblocks*—traffic-calmed residential zones—if this weekend’s city election shifts political support, according to district councilor Cornelius Bechtler of the Greens. Bechtler said advanced plans and funding exist for the projects, which use barriers like bollards to restrict through-traffic, but their fate now hinges on the vote .
In Vienna, a separate urban redesign debate centers on Aumannplatz, where the district aims to replace a 1980s-era traffic circle with expanded green space, 25 new trees, and a pedestrian zone along part of Währinger Straße. Green Party district leader Silvia Nossek cited the need to modernize aging infrastructure, including century-old underground cables, and add permanent restrooms to the site. Critics, including a petition with 2,500 signatures, argue the changes will worsen congestion and harm local businesses .
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