Zurich unveils plans to transform the city's roads: What you need to know

In a bid to reduce the number of drivers and make the city more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly, officials in Zurich have announced a plan that will radically change the roads in the heart of the Swiss metropolis. A number of routes in and around Bahnhofstrasse will see their speed limits reduced, while other sections will be completely pedestrianised.

How will central Zurich change in the next few years?

According to plans given to the Tages-Anzeiger, the local council is set to totally transform the streets in central Zurich in the coming years. The plans, though still subject to change, will involve dramatically reducing the speed limit in and around Bahnhofstrasse, reducing the size of roads and even pedestrianising some sections.

Under the plans, Sihlstrasse from St. Annagasse to Uraniastrasse - the vast majority of the street which passes the iconic vegetarian restaurant Hiltl and the soon-to-be renovated Jelmoli department store - will be completely pedestrianised. The speed limit on Löwenstrasse between Löwenplatz and Sihlstrasse, Nüschelerstrasse, Steinmühlegasse, Gerbergasse and St. Annagasse will be reduced to 20 kilometres per hour.

Uraniastrasse to be made more pedestrian and cycle-friendly

In what will be bad news for drivers who use the road to rev their engines and show off their latest set of sparkly alloyed wheels, authorities will cut the speed limit from 50 to 30 kilometres per hour on the section of Uraniastrasse between the junctions of Nüschelerstrasse and the Lindenhofstrasse bridge. 

A lane of Uraniastrasse will also be removed, creating a new cycle route and a central reservation which can be used by pedestrians to cross the road. Alongside the changes to the street itself, 20 parking spaces will be removed and replaced with bicycle parking and trees. 

Pedestrianising Sihlstrasse 16 years in the making

Much like many other infrastructure projects in Switzerland, the plans have been in the oven for quite a while, having first been proposed in 2008. It’s argued that the plan would boost business, reduce excessive traffic and pollution in central Zurich, and make the area more cycling and pedestrian-friendly.

According to the Tages-Anzeiger, city officials are hoping to have the new roads in place by 2030. However, consent is still required from the government of Canton Zurich and, if enough opposition materialises, from the public via a referendum.

Pedestrianisation a "long time coming" in Zurich, says Hiltl owner

In the past, businesses have been in favour of the plan, with Hiltl owner Rolf Hiltl telling the Tages-Anzeiger back in 2015 that he has “been waiting for Sihlstrasse to be traffic-free for a long time." He reaffirmed his view last week, telling the newspaper that the excessive number of cars in the heart of the city often cuts his business off from trade. "A continuous pedestrian zone would be great for the district," he concluded.

However, the proposed change will likely face opposition: a version of the plan was rejected in 2012 for being too anti-car. On the flip side of the debate, others in favour of the plan have raised safety concerns regarding the central reservation on Uraniastrasse, noting that similar schemes have not improved pedestrian safety. Others criticise the fact that the cycle paths proposed are set to be 20 centimetres narrower than what is now advised by Zurich’s Road Traffic Office. 

Thumb image credit: Michael Derrer Fuchs / Shutterstock.com