The main item on the agenda at the municipal council meeting on Thursday evening was the construction of the new parking garage at the harbor station. It was the second attempt after the rejection in 2020. At that time, a majority of parliament rejected the message. City councilor Ernst Zülle presented the project again. In addition to agreeing to try something new, the factions also raised critical arguments, such as the cost factor, the benefit for commuters and also disappointment about the few adjustments to the architectural planning compared to four years ago.
For the revised and optimized project, the city council applied for a loan of CHF 18.8 million. Of this, CHF 17.455 million will be used for the construction of a bus shelter, a parking garage and a bicycle station at the port station, 700,000 francs are follow-up costs for the development of access and exit routes and 640,000 francs for the transfer of the state from financial assets to administrative assets for the referendum. Parliament finally approved the loan with 20 yes votes to 13 no votes and 3 abstentions. The referendum will take place on November 24, 2024.
