In future, the main station in the Swiss city of Zurich will be made completely car-free, under plans being pursued by the local council. The "master plan" will transform the areas around Zurich HB, Central and Löwenplatz into a massive green space in the heart of the city.
By the spring of 2025 at the latest, the city council in Zurich will implement a “master plan” which will radically change how the centre of the city is designed, reporting from the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) has found. While the plans have been in development for many years, local officials now want to move forward with the project.
The scheme will transform Zurich HB, Platspitz, Central, Sihlpost and Löwenplatz. Generally, the plan is to transition the area around the busiest station in Switzerland from a hectic mix of drivers, trams and buses into a “free form” green space and park full of trees.
Under the plans, the Platspitz Park will be extended to run along the Limmat and Sihl, incorporating what is now the Bahnhofquai and Gessnerallee. Bahnhofquai, Central, Löwenplatz and the area directly in front of the station at Bahnhofstrasse will be made completely car-free, while the number of trams that can pass through will be significantly limited.
For drivers, the tunnel which passes underneath Bahnhofquai will be extended to make way for more trees. The stands outside Zurich HB which are reserved for drop-off and taxi services will also be scrapped, with cars set to be barred from the majority of roads which surround the station itself.
By the end of the project, drivers will only be given one option to cross from east to west and back near the station. This will be further towards the lake at Uraniastrasse, which will also be shrunk to make way for a large pavement for pedestrians.
Currently, city planners believe that too many trams and tram lines clutter up Zurich HB and its surrounding stops. Therefore, Central and Löwenplatz will be made completely tramstop-free, making way for a large park full of trees for locals to relax in.
To replace them, a smaller tram stop will be built on the bridge between Central and Zurich HB. Trams that currently run through Löwenplatz will be re-directed to run via Sihlpost, while other tram stops around the station will be reduced and made greener. In all, the plans will create a massive green space around Zurich HB for all residents to enjoy, reducing noise and particulate pollution around the station - which is frequently swamped with traffic.
While approved by local officials, several hurdles still remain, especially around traffic. While the plan states that the project must be completed without a “notable increase” in traffic in other areas, officials are yet to explain how this will be achieved. Additionally, there is the cost, with the NZZ estimating that the changes to the tram network and the Bahnhofquai tunnel alone will cost hundreds of millions of francs.
Finally, there is the matter of getting the plan approved. Alongside approval from city officials, the plan will likely have to be greenlit by Canton Zurich as well. In addition, as with all major construction projects in the Swiss metropolis, the plans will have to be approved by citizens at a referendum. If approved, it will likely take years or even decades for it to be made a reality.
Already, there is an indication that the city council is in for a fight to get the new green space approved. Speaking to 20 Minuten, Swiss People’s Party local councillor Stephan Iten noted “all road users were taken into account, except for private motorised traffic." He added that "in 2017, the city council was tasked with creating a transport concept for everyone - all parties signed it… [instead, a] ideological, left-green dream" was born.
Both Iten and the Automobile Club of Switzerland (ACS) warned that the plans would heavily impact accessibility among those who need a car to travel. Former Zurich Transport Authority director Guido Schoch also warned the NZZ that reducing the number of trams around Zurich HB would lead to “chaotic conditions” in local public transport, as the network would have to face new bottlenecks and capacity issues.