The summer break is coming to an end soon. In the last few weeks, those of you who were in Zurich during the school holidays had the privilege of experiencing the city in quiet mode. Isn’t it nice that there is much less car traffic on the streets at this time? Instead, children draw with chalk on the neighborhood streets, while adults gather in cozy cafés and restaurants for an ice cream or a crisp salad. The city and street space is transformed into a living and meeting space. There are significantly fewer accidents.
The city of Zurich wants to support and promote this trend. With the recently adopted strategy “Urban Space and Mobility 2040”, it has drawn up a catalogue of measures in which road space is reallocated in favor of environmentally friendly transport, active mobility such as walking or cycling is prioritized, and new places to stay with plenty of greenery and biodiversity are created.
The aim is for Zurich residents to experience nature, water and a pleasant climate in the city; to find opportunities for both activity and rest; to benefit from an attractive business location; to be even more involved in participatory processes than today; to experience their own neighbourhood and the entire city in a more diverse way and to be able to move around the city in an environmentally friendly and safe way.
With this development, which I hope will continue beyond the summer break, we are setting an example in Switzerland and our projects for a sustainable Zurich will serve as a role model beyond the city limits. I am looking forward to a livable and climate-neutral Zurich.
Simon Brander
Head of Civil Engineering and Waste Management Department
