Zurich enables first airport expansion in 50 years
Published: Sunday, Mar 3rd 2024, 17:52
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Zurich Airport is being expanded: The people of Zurich have given the green light for the runway extensions. They also rejected a continuous lakeside path on Lake Zurich and the "Anti-Chaoten-Initiative". They accepted the counter-proposal to the initiative.
A total of 324,234 voters voted in favour of the runway extensions, while 201,198 voted against. 57.56% of the votes were cast, allowing Flughafen Zürich AG to extend runway 28 by 400 meters to the west and runway 32 by 280 meters to the north. The costs of CHF 250 million will be borne by the airport itself. This is the first adjustment to the runway system in 50 years.
According to the airport, the aim is to increase safety and improve punctuality. This would also ensure less aircraft noise in the evening hours. The airport was primarily supported by the conservative parties. The Zurich Government Council and the Cantonal Council were also in favor.
Opponents find "airport big enough"
Aircraft noise opponents and left-wing parties criticized the fact that this would enable an increase in capacity in the longer term. More flights would lead to more noise and even more emissions. The "highly frequented and excellently connected airport" is already big enough, they say.
The airport bill is regarded as the vote of the year in the canton of Zurich. The debate in the run-up to the vote was correspondingly loud. Opponents of the runway expansion even demanded that the referendum newspaper not be delivered - their arguments had been amended and shortened by the cantonal government.
"The people of Zurich stand by our national airport. And it should be reliable," said Government Councillor Carmen Walker Späh (FDP). It is also a confirmation of the government's airport policy.
Yes to the counter-proposal
The SVP's "Anti-Chaoten-Initiative" failed at the ballot box. Only 205,360 voters accepted it. 297,635 rejected the initiative, almost 60 percent. The cantonal council's more moderate counter-proposal, on the other hand, was accepted with 63.8 percent.
In future, demonstrations will always require a permit. Costs for police operations and damage to property can be transferred. However, the organizers would only be asked to pay if the perpetrators acted deliberately. This is in contrast to the initiative, which called for costs to be passed on in all cases.
Riverside path left without a chance
The initiative for a continuous lakeside path on Lake Zurich stood no chance. There were 339,540 "no" votes against only 190,752 "yes" votes. The turnout was 57.8 percent. The lakeshore initiative wanted to oblige the canton to create continuous public lakeshore paths on Lake Zurich and other bodies of water in the canton.
The proponents argued that freely accessible bodies of water and near-natural riverside paths have a unique appeal. Their importance is increasing in view of population growth and urban densification.
According to the opponents, however, the construction of a lakeside path would only be possible with a "massive encroachment on private property". The costs of 350 to 650 million francs - a large part for land acquisition and compensation - would be disproportionate.
The non-controversial fourth cantonal bill, which changed the requirements for election to the cantonal courts, was approved without any problems. Almost 90 percent voted in favor.
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