Loans approved for six sub-projects in ESP Ausserholligen

Teaser image source: Canton of Bern AGG – Wulf Architekten, Studiopez, Aron Lorincz

On Thursday, the Bern municipal council approved loans totaling 84 million francs for six sub-projects in the Ausserholligen development priority area (ESP). These are public infrastructure projects.

Source: Canton of Bern AGG – Wulf Architekten, Studiopez, Aron Lorincz

In June, voters approved a CHF 176 million infrastructure loan for the development of Bern-Ausserholligen. One of the planned projects in the area: the new campus of the Bern University of Applied Sciences (visualization).

Over the next few years, the Ausserholligen district in Bern is set to grow into an urban area that combines work, housing, education, business, leisure, gastronomy and culture. Private and public developers are planning to invest around three billion francs in over 40 projects here, the municipal council announced on Thursday.

For example, the canton is building the new campus of the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), the Burgergemeinde and the post office are planning up to 1,000 new apartments in the Weyermannshaus West, and three high-rise buildings for offices, apartments, businesses and the new headquarters of Energie Wasser Bern are being built on the EWB/BLS site in the south. In addition, the SBB is implementing the “Performance Improvement Bern West” project in Ausserholligen.

17 sub-projects for public infrastructure

The city is providing the public infrastructure for the newly designed urban area with a total of 17 sub-projects. In June, voters approved a corresponding framework loan of 176 million francs for this purpose. At the same time, they authorized the municipal council to release the loans for individual sub-projects.

A good two months after the vote, the municipal council has now approved initial loans totalling CHF 83.555 million for the planning and implementation of six sub-projects. These are the following sub-projects:

• New construction of Europaplatz Nord stop: In order to make the new BFH Bern campus as accessible as possible for public transport and to improve transfer connections, the Stöckacker S-Bahn stop will be moved about 300 metres to the east and renamed Europaplatz Nord. The city of Bern is contributing 8.455 million francs to the costs of the new building.
• New pedestrian underpass at Europaplatz Nord: A prerequisite for the functioning of the new Europaplatz Nord stop is a new pedestrian underpass with safe access to the platforms. This also creates a connection between the areas north and south of the railway tracks. The city of Bern is responsible for the construction of the new pedestrian underpass; the costs amount to 58.94 million francs.
• Bicycle parking facilities at Europaplatz Nord stop: A new bicycle station with around 160 spaces is being built at the western entrance to the new Europaplatz Nord stop, and 450 new bicycle parking spaces are also planned in the area around the new stop. The city of Bern is investing 6.15 million francs in this.
• Laying of mixed sewage pipe underpass Stöckacker: The new construction of the Europaplatz Nord stop means that the Stöckacker underpass has to be lowered and the combined sewage pipe has to be relocated. The corresponding costs amount to 1.47 million Swiss francs.
• Outdoor area of ​​the BFH Bern campus including disclosure of Stadtbach: In connection with the new construction of the Bern campus, the outside area of ​​the school complex will be transformed into a green recreational area and equipped with a continuous network of footpaths and cycle paths. The city of Bern will cover the costs of exposing the city stream: 8.365 million francs.
• Retaining wall Bahnstrasse: As part of the SBB project “Performance Improvement Bern West”, a new retaining wall is being built on Bahnstrasse. The city of Bern is contributing 175,000 francs to this.

According to the announcement, the first urban sub-projects will be implemented from 2025. The plan is for the entire public infrastructure in ESP Ausserholligen to be ready by 2028. (mgt/pb)