Heat damage on the A1: First lane failure between Haag and St. Valentin

ÖAMTC warning

ÖAMTC had already warned on Sunday via press release that an increase in road damage was to be expected due to the persistently high temperatures. Old, repeatedly repaired roads were particularly at risk, the club explained. Drivers should drive with foresight and report any noticed damage to the police or the responsible road maintenance depots, ÖAMTC recommended.

ÖBB also feeling the heat

The heat wave is not only affecting people and animals, but now also infrastructure, as ÖAMTC emphasized. On the A1 between Haag and St. Valentin, this showed for the first time on Sunday in the form of a closure of almost the entire construction area. ASFINAG announced that inspection drives on the highways would be intensified in order to quickly identify new damage locations.

The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) are also affected by the heat wave. As early as Friday, they had appealed to postpone or avoid non-essential rail journeys in the coming days. Passengers were advised to check their connections in advance and allow for longer travel times. In Vienna, track damage on Donaufelder Straße led to changes on tram lines 25, 26 and 27, for which a rail replacement service was set up.

Old, repaired routes particularly at risk

ÖAMTC also pointed out in its warning that, especially on routes that had been repaired repeatedly in the past, the surfaces are less resistant to heat. The damage on the A1 was considered exemplary of this development: several lanes failed because slabs had shifted against each other and buckled. The result was traffic jams and delays for travelers heading toward Linz.

Observers view the incident as a possible prelude to a series of further heat-related incidents on Austria's roads. ASFINAG announced that inspection drives on heavily used routes would be ramped up in order to be able to intervene early. ÖBB also wanted to particularly closely monitor operations on sensitive routes as temperatures rise.

Outlook for the coming days

By Sunday midday, it was reported that the traffic jam on the A1 toward Linz was continuing to lengthen without any significant increase in traffic flow. Since the repairs were expected to last into the late afternoon, restrictions were to be expected even after the end of the main traffic period, according to the responsible agencies.

Overall, the case shows how sensitive road and rail networks are to prolonged heat waves. While the highway maintenance depots and rail operators are stepping up their inspections, ÖAMTC and ÖBB are jointly appealing to travelers to postpone their car or train trips to cooler times of day or later days if possible.