Vie, May 17th 2024
Cargo sous terrain project encounters resistance due to proposed access points. Zurich and other municipalities express concerns over traffic, noise, and groundwater protection.
Plans for underground freight transportation between Zurich and Härkingen SO are described as “fundamentally innovative” in a consultation. However, locations for access points for the privately funded “Cargo sous terrain” project are causing concern. Those responsible want to make improvements.
The first “Cargo sous terrain” section is set to run from Zurich Airport via Zurich, Urdorf ZH, Spreitenbach AG, and Suhr AG to Härkingen SO. Eleven connection points or hubs are planned. Municipalities and regional organizations in the affected cantons had until Friday to comment on the corresponding sectoral plan.
The City of Zurich is critical of the three city hub locations currently favored. Conflicts with residential areas arise at two locations, and the third location, though well-connected by road and rail, faces groundwater protection issues. The city government also notes that the underground freight railroad would not significantly reduce above-ground traffic.
“Cargo sous terrain” (CST) counters this in a press release, citing a Zurich University of Applied Sciences study indicating that CST could significantly reduce above-ground truck traffic by bundling journeys and reducing empty runs. In Zurich, this could reduce truck kilometers by 5,200 per day by 2050.
In Urdorf ZH, where a hub is also planned, the municipal executive demands accompanying measures against traffic and noise, essential for residential area protection.
The municipality of Spreitenbach AG supports the project’s goals and principles but fears additional truck traffic for the hub planned on its land. There is no direct connection to the planned SBB regional terminal or the national road network.
The Aarau Regio planning association demands traffic modeling for the hub in Suhr AG and calls for groundwater protection. The groundwater supply for affected municipalities must be guaranteed without restriction.
Initial project adjustments are underway, according to CST. In-depth discussions on traffic relief through the tunnel freight transport system are planned. Dialogue with municipalities along the first section of the route is being sought.
CST states that the section from the Zurich area to Härkingen SO is approximately 70 kilometers long. The estimated cost for construction, software, hubs, and vehicles for this section is CHF 3.6 billion. The CST network from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva is due for completion by 2045.
A study commissioned by the canton of Bern indicates that extending the “Cargo sous terrain” route to Bern, Thun, and Biel is feasible, with potential demand and manageable geological conditions. Cantons have until the end of June to comment on the sectoral plan for underground freight transport.
©Keystone/SDA
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