On the newly redesigned Christian-Broda-Platz, wooden traffic signs are now guiding the people of Vienna for the first time. At first glance, the signs appear to be conventional traffic signs. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that they are made not from aluminum, as usual, but from wood.

“It made sense, as we needed a total of 46 new signs,” said the City Councillor for Mobility, Ulli Sima (SPÖ), on Monday during an interview with “Wien heute.”

Poplar or Birch Wood from Central Europe

The new signs are being produced in Vienna, using poplar or birch wood sourced from Central Europe. They are designed to be mounted on standard poles and only differ visually by having a reflective surface.

The development of the new traffic signs took a considerable amount of time. One of the challenges was ensuring the weather resistance and adhesion of the foil to the wood. According to experts, the thermally treated wood now makes the signs weatherproof. With a lifespan of around 20 years, however, they are no more durable than their aluminum predecessors.

Lifespan of About 20 Years

Nevertheless, the climate benefits: “These signs have a very favorable CO2 balance, emitting a third of the CO2 during production compared to aluminum signs,” said Thomas Keller, head of the MA 28 road construction department.

Once their service life ends, the material can be composted or burned. The old signs will be kept and possibly reused in other locations, for example, as replacements when signs are damaged.

Twice as Expensive as Metal Signs

However, the new wooden traffic signs come with a higher price tag: they cost about twice as much as their metal counterparts. “The production cost is higher than for aluminum signs, and of course, it depends on the quantity ordered. The one I’m holding costs around 100 euros,” Keller explained in the “Wien heute” interview.

Wooden signs will also soon be implemented in other parts of Vienna. They will be gradually installed as part of neighborhood redesign projects.