The most important facts about the proposal for the expansion of the motorway network
Published: Sunday, Nov 24th 2024, 05:40
Updated At: Sunday, Nov 24th 2024, 04:41
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On November 24, Swiss voters will decide on 4.9 billion Swiss francs for national road expansion projects. An alliance led by the Swiss Transport Club (VCS) is fighting the bill with a referendum. Here are the most important facts about the bill:
The initial situation
The volume of traffic on the national road network has increased more than fivefold over the past sixty years. Particularly busy stretches of highway are regularly overloaded. This leads to traffic jams and gridlock, especially in conurbations. Drivers who want to avoid waiting times switch to cantonal and municipal roads and burden towns and villages with additional traffic.
This is what the bill wants
Parliament approved the 2023 expansion phase of the motorway network just over a year ago. A total of six freeway sections are to be expanded over the next few years at a total cost of CHF 4.9 billion. The Federal Council had proposed five projects to Parliament. The councillors increased the credit in favor of a project on the A1 at Lake Geneva.
The A1 is to be widened to eight lanes between Bern-Wankdorf and Schönbühl BE and to six lanes between Schönbühl and Kirchberg BE. In western Switzerland, the A1 between Le Vengeron GE and Nyon VD is also to be widened to six lanes.
In addition, a third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel on the A1 near St. Gallen and a second tube of the Fäsenstaub tunnel on the A4 in Schaffhausen are to be built. In addition, a new Rhine tunnel between Birsfelden BL and Kleinhüningen in the city of Basel will provide lasting relief from through traffic on the A2 east bypass in the Basel area.
What the supporters say
Proponents hope that the expansion of the motorway network will bring greater safety and peace of mind. The freeways are an important piece of the puzzle in the overall transport system and the most efficient transport infrastructure. They account for just under three percent of the entire road network, but absorb and channel 45 percent of all vehicle kilometers driven, argues the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS). According to the proponents, freeways relieve cities and villages of through traffic. These would then suffer from less noise and exhaust fumes.
The mobility of people in the country requires infrastructure, both on the roads and on the railways. Traffic jams cost money and time. For rescue operations, it is crucial to get through to the scene of an accident quickly and without traffic jams. Freeway projects are not financed from the federal budget, but by road users via the National Roads and Agglomeration Transport Fund.
The supporting alliance includes the SVP, FDP and the Center Party. Associations such as Economiesuisse, the trade association, Auto Schweiz, Touring Club Schweiz, the commercial vehicle association Astag, the Auto Gewerbe Verband Schweiz (AGVS) and Strasseschweiz support the Yes alliance financially. The farmers' association is also in favor of the bill.
What the opponents say
An alliance led by the Swiss Transport Club (VCS) and the Umverkehr organization is fighting the bill with a referendum. After the Yes to the Climate Protection Act in June 2023, they argue that the expansion of the freeways should be halted. The 2023 expansion phase for the motorways is "excessive, outdated and overpriced" and runs counter to the legally enshrined reduction targets for exhaust emissions. It is time to invest in means of transport that really solve the problems of the 21st century.
Wider highways lead to more traffic, longer traffic jams, more air pollution and noise and also more CO2 emissions. This is because an expansion creates incentives to use the widened route, argues the No Committee. And not only there, but also on the feeder routes, car traffic would then increase. Many neighboring communities are opposed to the freeway expansion projects.
The referendum is supported by the SP, the Greens and the GLP. Members of the alliance are Greenpeace Switzerland, the Noise League, Birdlife Switzerland, Pro Natura, Verein Klimaschutz Schweiz and Klima-Allianz-Schweiz.
How is the template being received?
The proposal lost its initial support. In the last survey commissioned by SRG, 47% were still in favor of the freeway expansion projects. 51 percent would have said no. In the survey for "20 Minuten" and Tamedia, supporters and opponents were roughly equal.
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