ÖVAS - The highway and motorway network as infrastructure for efficient public transport.

To improve energy consumption and GHG footprint of the mobility sector, among other things, the current modal split of car trips vs transit and bicycle trips must be reversed by 2040 (cf. Mobility Master Plan 2040, BMK 2021). Existing transport infrastructure must be used differently to achieve rapid solutions. The highway and motorway network (A&S network) is in good condition but hardly been used by public transport. Express buses may use the spare capacity of the motorway network. However, these bus lines must be coordinated with the rest of the public transport system regarding hubs. Efficient interchanges can be created directly on or in the immediate vicinity of the motorway, allowing for a journey without detours and a rapid onward journey. With minor adaptations of the existing infrastructure (e.g. by using existing service exits and service reversals or by giving priority on shoulder lanes or dedicated motorway lanes), attractive travel times and an increase in public transport performance can be achieved. The objective of ÖVAS is the design of a public express bus service on the highway and express road network in a test area. The buses are to be provided with their own infrastructure, enabling rapid progress and short stop times without detours. This project will emphasize multimodal connecting mobility at the stops, which are to be developed into transport hubs with rail, Regiobus, paratransit, ridesharing, P&R, bicycle and pedestrian connections. The concept will be testet in Styria on the A2 between Hartberg and Mooskirchen and on the A9 between Übelbach/Frohnleiten and Wildon.