The L613 in Straß in South Styria has been skidding for weeks. In the meantime, large parts of the vineyard of the Tement family have been destroyed, the road is impassable and one house has to be secured. The damage amounts to more than half a million euros.
Since May 15, barriers have banned traffic on Grenzland-Weinstraße, the L613, in the municipality of Straß in Styria. There had been a lot of rain, the road was sagging and cracked.
Since then, the slipping of the road has been hard to stop. As the current photos show, an entire avenue has slipped into the Tement vineyard, the vines sinking into a hole.
Now the house on the street could slip off, says traffic police officer LH-Stv. Anthony Lang. “Meanwhile, a future threat to a property located on the mountainside can no longer be ruled out, which is why we are now starting with the first security measures.”
The sum of the damage now rises to 600,000 euros. Two weeks ago that was still 100,000 euros.
The road should reopen to traffic in August
From Thursday, the said building will be secured by shotcrete with anchored nails, explains Franz Nöhrer, head of the road maintenance service. “The recovery concept for the national highway itself will also be completed soon, after which the search for an available construction company will follow. However, we assume that the L613 will be open to traffic at least temporarily from mid-August.”
Constitutional service to clear guilt
Now the question remains who should pay for the expensive construction work. The construction of the vineyard on the Graßnitzberg has been controversial for years because two hectares of forest were cut down for it. “But the precipitation alone probably won’t be the trigger,” state geologist Marc-Andre Rapp told the “Krone” two weeks ago.
The state of Styria currently says that “it has yet to be clarified” whether the damage is related to the forest clearing in 2020. Nöhrer: “The constitutional service of the state is in the process of clarifying the question of guilt. The costs that are now incurred for the rehabilitation measures will be pre-financed by the national road management.”
Have the authorities failed?
The L613 will be lowered for the first time in 2021. Lambert Schönleitner (Greens) already accused the country of “failure by the authorities”. Winegrower and owner Manfred Tement: “I received approval for all projects and met the conditions.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
