Opposition to Parking Reduction for New Zurich Bicycle Route

The first preferential cycle route in the city of Zurich was completed a while ago and caused a lot of chaos. The network will be further expanded over the next few years. The new bicycle network will cover more than 130 kilometers. In District 4, the preferred cycle route from Altstetten is to be continued. The district association Aussersihl and Hard is now objecting. The reason for this is the reduction of parking spaces.

“Unnecessary and disproportionate reduction in parking spaces”

The city wants to eliminate more than 100 parking spaces for the preferred cycle route in the Aussersihl district. Specifically, it is about the parking facilities on Herman-Greulich-Strasse, Brauerstrasse and Zeughausstrasse. The district does not like this reduction. 90 private individuals and commercial companies have lodged an objection with the Civil Engineering Office of the City of Zurich.

The objection does not want to “prevent the preferred bicycle routes, but the unnecessary and disproportionate reduction in parking spaces should be prevented,” writes the neighborhood association in a statement. Otherwise residents and businesses would not be able to find parking spaces for themselves or for visitors and customers in the future.

Dismantling should be kept to a minimum

Those affected are dependent on these parking spaces because there are no parking spaces on a large part of the affected property and none can be built for legal reasons.

The opponents hope that the city of Zurich will revise the project and limit the removal of parking spaces to a minimum.

The map of the city

From the Stauffacherstrasse to the Stauffacherquai, the first part of the preferred cycle route in district 4 is to be created over a distance of 1.6 kilometres. A further 1.3 kilometers are to be added from Stauffacherstrasse to Kasernenstrasse. Implementation is scheduled to start in autumn 2023.

Roger Schaad, media spokesman for the civil engineering office of the city of Zurich, confirms receipt of the objections. These will be checked in a first step and then the city council will decide whether they will be taken into account.

Despite the many objections – also in other quarters – the city sees itself on the right track. “We have the mandate of the electorate to implement this preferred cycle route. We need space for that.”