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The Winterthur electorate has approved the “Querung Grüze” project. A good 61 percent put a yes in the ballot box.
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Starting position and template:
A bridge for the bus will be built over the tracks of the Grüze station. The bridge leads from St. Gallerstrasse over the tracks to the Talackerstrasse / Sulzerallee junction. The length, including the ramps, is about 390 meters, the bridge span is more than 20 meters wide. The Grüze junction can also be used by cyclists, but it is not very attractive due to the lines and the long and steep ramps. Therefore, a separate bicycle underpass is planned, to be implemented independently of the Grüze crossing. A loan of 59.4 million Swiss francs is required for the Grüze crossing. After deducting federal and cantonal contributions, the City of Winterthur will incur costs of around five million francs. The construction of the “Querung Grüze” will take about three years and could come into operation in 2025.
By arguments: The Neuhegi-Grüze area is the largest development area in the city of Winterthur. In accordance with the vision of the future in the general urban transport concept, Neuhegi-Grüze will be a dense, mixed-use center with diverse urban functions by 2030. The central requirement for planned development is an efficient transport system that takes into account all modes of transport. SBB wants to offer an S-Bahn service comparable to that of Winterthur main station by 2050 at Grüze station. So far, the Grüze station is not connected to the bus network. According to the city council, the Grüze crossing is imposing and elegant, it marks a strong architectural accent. Most of the costs are borne by the federal and cantonal governments.
Counter-Argument: The SVP parliamentary group has reservations about the Grüze crossing. He accuses the city of preferring public transport and bicycle traffic unilaterally because the bridge is not passable for cars. Additionally, the SVP complains that costs are not as low as reported by the city, because cantonal and federal funds are ultimately tax money for Winterthur residents. Maag Recycling AG operators are also against the project. They argue that the bridge makes it virtually impossible to load trucks onto train cars, so if they say yes, they would have to abandon the Winterthur location at best. The Pünten owners are also fighting back, because around 50 Pünten in the Talacker would disappear as a result of the bridge’s construction.
Ja-Parole: City Hall, FDP, CVP, SP, Verdes, AL, GLP
Without motto: SVP, Maag Recycling, owner of Pünten