To mark the Cycle Week that takes place in Zurich from May 22nd to 28th, Switzerland’s largest city is inaugurating a tunnel under the main train station, dedicated exclusively to bicycle traffic.
The tunnel between Kasernenstrasse and Sihlquai, connecting districts 4 and 5, officially opens on May 22nd in evening.
It was originally intended for cars, but municipal authortties decided to earmark it, along with 38,6 million francs in construction costs — for “sustainable forms of mobility” instead.
New bicycle station
The tunnel, which is approximately 440 metres long and up to six metres wide from the surface at Kasernenstrasse to the surface at Sihlquai, also offers 1,240 free bicycle parking spaces.
All types of bicycles are permitted there, including e-bikes, e-mopeds, light motor vehicles, and small electric motorcycles — as long as they don’t exceed the 20 km/hour speed limit.
The tunnel will not be open to pedestrians, however.
This new infrastructure will come as a welcome relief to biking enthusiasts who have long grumbled that Zurich doesn’t have enough cycling paths.
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Problem solved — at least partially
A while ago, The Local asked its readers to identify the main problems for cyclists in Zurich.
One answer was consistent: readers said the city lacked adequate bike lanes.
For instance, one reader, Vasily Sotnikov, 32, complained that “cycling infrastructure in Zurich is not generally consistent. There are excellent bike lanes here and there, but they might end abruptly, and one is forced to share the road with cars or pedestrians.
“This has a consequence: there is almost no way to know if I can comfortably make it from A to B on a bicycle. Add to this dense traffic in Zurich, making cycling unattractive for me,” he added.
You can read other responses here:
READ ALSO: How Zurich could improve safety for cyclists?
Even though the new tunnel may not address all the problems at once, it is, at least, part of the solution.
