Home Zones (Woonerf) in Europe

Home Zones (Wohstraße) and Meeting Zones (Begegnungszone) in Austria

Abstract

Home Zones (Wohnstrasse), Woonerf, in Austria was enacted in 1983, and Meeting Zone (Begegnungszone), Shared Space, was enacted in 2013. Home Zones allowed only vehicles which purposed to access to housing along the designated street. Vehicles are allowed to pass Meeting Zones, within 20km/h. People are allowed to use the whole street surface in both types of streets. However, Home Zones allow vehicles to drive in walking speed, which means 7km/h, and people to use whole street space to use. Streets are required to have sidewalks, and this created street atmosphere to allow vehicles to dominate the street use. Residents and users of Home Zones decided to change this atmosphere, and succeeded to calm the traffic and allow people to walk middle of streets by minimizing the width of entrance by flower pots, or painting the street.