The Municipality of Prettau is testing concrete measures within the NXTLVL Parking project to make mobility more sustainable and to enhance the quality of public space. This work builds on a comprehensive mobility and parking study as well as a detailed analysis of public space in the district of Kasern.
These actions align with the municipality’s broader objectives: using parking management to improve quality of life, strengthening the attractiveness of the village through a participatory approach, and addressing key challenges such as parking pressure in protected landscape areas and the daily influx of tourists and their mobility behaviour. In the long term, Prettau aims to gradually transform the uppermost settlement area of the valley into a largely car‑free village.
At the same time, several pilot projects were developed: a Citizen Project to collect ideas and feedback from residents, initial measures to improve bicycle parking, and approaches to counter wild parking in sensitive natural areas. Together, these steps support the long‑term goal of reducing motorised traffic at the head of the valley and creating more quality of life for both residents and visitors.
Citizen project – survey and collection of ideas
As part of the NXTLVL Parking project, Prettau carried out a municipality‑wide citizen survey to gather ideas and feedback on parking policy and mobility behaviour. The survey was designed and managed by a dedicated workgroup, largely identical to the ParkPAD audit group, and supported by the mayor and the municipal administration. Its purpose was to collect input for a more traffic‑calmed Prettau and to prepare for the development of the future municipal mobility concept (SUMP).
Every household received the questionnaire digitally, and 144 residents responded, around 30% of the population. Participants shared their views on mobility challenges, parking behaviour and potential improvements, and submitted a wide range of ideas for future measures. The results were presented to the city council, published on the municipality’s website, and forwarded to the planning team responsible for developing the SUMP, where they will inform upcoming mobility and public‑space strategies.
Installing new bicycle racks – supporting a shift toward sustainable mobility
Prettau implemented a first practical measure by installing new bicycle racks at strategic locations within the municipality. This step emerged from the mobility analysis, which showed increasing demand for bike infrastructure—driven by both local youth and a growing number of e‑bike‑using visitors.
The racks were installed intentionally before the start of the school year, addressing daily mobility needs and supporting a gradual shift away from car dependency. Due to rising bicycle use, the municipality anticipates that additional racks will be necessary in the near future. This low‑threshold pilot aligns with the municipality’s limited implementation capacity and serves as an important stepping stone toward broader sustainable mobility solutions.
Measures against wild parking in Kasern
To tackle wild parking in the sensitive landscape near Kasern, the Municipality of Prettau has implemented targeted interventions together with the Provincial Forestry Authority. The no‑entry sign at the Knappenegg track was repositioned to clearly mark the restricted area, and mobile log barriers were installed to block informal parking spots while remaining movable for winter snow clearance.
In addition, some small reforestation measures were carried out: trees and shrubs were planted on areas previously used for illegal parking, restoring the natural appearance and preventing future vehicle access. These coordinated actions now effectively protect the forest‑meadow environment and help ensure orderly, sustainable mobility at the valley’s end.