immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Strassen

  • Zurich cantonal government invites the public to participate in the fifth-generation agglomeration programmes

    Zurich cantonal government invites the public to participate in the fifth-generation agglomeration programmes

    In order to receive federal funding, the agglomeration programmes must meet certain requirements. These include analysing the current situation and identifying development trends in the areas of settlement, landscape and transport. On this basis, future scenarios are developed and necessary measures are derived. Between 30 and 50 per cent of these measures can then be co-financed by the federal government, provided they are ready for implementation.

    The programmes cover various regions and focus on specific priorities. In the Limmat Valley, the focus is on multimodal transfer points and the electrification of bus transport. In the city of Zurich and the Glattal, transport hubs and cycle networks are being expanded. Winterthur’s measures focus on public transport and pedestrian and cycle-friendly urban development.

    The new programme for the lowlands and the Furttal valley focuses on designing road spaces to be compatible with residential areas. In the Zurich Oberland, the focus is on the accessibility of regional centres and multimodal transfer points.

    Participation and consultation procedure
    The public consultation procedure was launched on 3 July 2024 by government decree no. 765/2024 and runs from 5 August to 20 September 2024. During this period, cities, municipalities, planning regions, transport companies, associations and the public are invited to comment. Neighbouring cantons and neighbouring agglomeration programmes such as Schaffhausen and Obersee are also invited to participate.

    Government Councillor Carmen Walker Späh emphasises the importance of the programmes: “Everyone benefits from a modern infrastructure. An efficient infrastructure is the lifeblood of the economy.”
    The drafts of the agglomeration programmes and other relevant documents will be available from 5 August at zh.ch/ap5.

  • Efficient asphalt recycling in Switzerland

    Efficient asphalt recycling in Switzerland

    In Switzerland, the growing amount of old asphalt in landfills is a problem that is now being addressed through innovative research. The “HighRAP” project, led by Martins Zaumanis and in collaboration with authorities and industry partners, aims to maximise the use of recycled asphalt in road construction.

    Challenges and solutions
    Waste asphalt is a challenging resource. Its binder, bitumen, ages and stiffens over time, making it difficult to use. In addition, old asphalt is often a mixture of different road layers and time periods, which affects its homogeneity. Zaumanis’ research project offers solutions here. Specialised testing methods and a newly developed computational model make it easier to reuse old asphalt.

    Practical tests and applications
    The project has already proven its practicality in two pilot projects. In Uster, it was possible to incorporate up to 50% recycled asphalt into the road surface without sacrificing performance. Even on the climatically challenging Lukmanier Pass, asphalt with high recycled content was successfully used. These results encourage the expanded use of recycled materials.

    Forward-looking research
    The project not only offers practical solutions for road construction, but also sheds new light on the possibilities of using recycled material efficiently and sustainably. Martins Zaumanis is confident that his research will help to significantly reduce the amount of used asphalt in landfills.

    With the “HighRAP” project, sustainable road construction in Switzerland is taking off. New methods, political will and successful practical tests make a future with less waste and more recycling in road construction seem realistic.

  • Second tube of the Gotthard tunnel: first tunnel boring machine “Carla” at its destination

    Second tube of the Gotthard tunnel: first tunnel boring machine “Carla” at its destination

    Sometimes Carla, with her followers more than 200 m long, came slowly, sometimes much faster than planned, depending on the nature of the rock. On average, Carla covered about 17 m per day. Her record performance is 45.4 m per day, achieved in rather soft gneiss.

    TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION IS TEAMWORK
    “It’s great that we were able to excavate the northern access tunnel on time and, above all, without any significant accidents,” says Jacopo Cheda, head of northern construction at FEDRO. Xavier von Mandach, Implenia’s site manager in charge, emphasises the good cooperation: “Tunnel construction is always teamwork. Our team, consisting of several companies and colleagues from many nations, has a great deal of experience and works in a highly professional manner. Together we were able to successfully master the technical challenges and reach this important milestone without incident. The team did a great job.”

    WHAT’S NEXT
    The excavation of the access tunnel, which runs parallel to the future second tunnel tube, also provided important findings for the other construction work that will be carried out in the future, which are important for Carla’s “big sister”, which will excavate the northern section of the main tube from 2025.

    In August 2022, FEDRO awarded the “secondo tubo” consortium with Implenia (60%) and Frutiger (40%) the contract for the northern main lot (Lot 241) of the second tube of the Gotthard road tunnel. The construction period for the 7.9 km long tunnel section up to the lot boundary in the middle of the tunnel is scheduled until 2029.

    The construction of the second tube will be driven simultaneously from the north and from the south. A total of four TBMs will be used for this: two smaller ones (Carla and Delia) for the two access tunnels and the two large ones with a shield diameter of over twelve metres for the main tunnel.

    Source: implenia.com

  • DETEC approves road construction projects

    DETEC approves road construction projects

    This year the federal government will spend a total of around CHF 2.8 billion on new or continued work on the Swiss road network. The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications(DETEC) has now approved the corresponding construction programmes.

    According to this, by far the largest part of 1.6 billion Swiss francs will be spent on the maintenance and improvement of the existing national road network. A total of 482 million Swiss francs will be available in 2023 for projects within the framework of the Strategic Development Programme for National Roads and for larger projects. According to a press release from the Federal Roads Office, these funds will be invested mainly in the second tube of the Gotthard road tunnel, the six-lane expansion of the Zurich northern bypass (A1), the Lucerne bypass (A2) and the Le Locle bypass (A20).

    In addition, around 453 million Swiss francs are earmarked for the maintenance, the so-called operational maintenance, of the national road network. This includes, among other things, winter services, greenery maintenance, removal of accident damage and cleaning.

    This year, 264 million Swiss francs are available for new constructions within the framework of the network completion, a joint task between the federal government and the cantons, which was decided in 1960. The largest credit, 111 million, was allocated to the canton of Valais. Obwalden receives 18 million, Schwyz 12 million and Uri 7 million.

  • Wallisellen switches to LED

    Wallisellen switches to LED

    Wallisellen is increasingly relying on LED luminaires for lighting in public spaces. As it says in a media release, the utility company die Werke operates the lighting of public streets and squares with energy-saving LED lamps on behalf of the city of Wallisellen. Already today, 65 percent of the city in the canton of Zurich is equipped with intelligent LED lamps. These can be switched on or off as required and can also be dimmed.

    “With LEDs, electricity can be saved and light pollution reduced,” says Philipp Maurer, Head of Civil Engineering + Landscape at the City of Wallisellen, explaining the conversion. The measures taken are part of the project “More Night for Wallisellen”, according to the press release.

    Compared to their predecessors, the sodium vapour lamps, the new LED lights only need about half the electrical energy. This large saving is also achieved by the fact that the LED luminaires are equipped with sensors. When vehicles or pedestrians approach, the light is raised via motion sensors. At times of low activity, it is reduced by 50 percent.

    By mid-2023, all street lighting should be equipped with the new system. The city buys the electricity required for operation from local solar power producers.

  • Holcim concrete is supposed to charge electric vehicles

    Holcim concrete is supposed to charge electric vehicles

    Holcim has entered into a strategic partnership with the start-up Magment . The young company based in Oberhaching near Munich is working on a wireless inductive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. According to Magment's understanding, they should be charged where they go instead of having to go where they are charged. This reduces the need for charging stations and at the same time saves time, according to a message from the Zug-based building materials manufacturer.

    Together, the development departments of both companies have created a "unique concrete with high magnetic permeability" for road surfaces. The technology is currently being tested at Purdue University in the US state of Indiana. Applications for industrial floors to charge robots and forklifts while driving are also in preparation.

    Magment CEO and co-founder Mauricio Esguerra believes that both companies will be an “important companion for the sustainable electric transport of the future” “by developing superior qualities” of magnetizable concrete technology. Holcim is also pleased to “develop concrete solutions with Magment to advance electromobility,” said Edelio Bermejo, Head of Holcim's Global Innovation Center. The Zug-based company is shifting "the limits of innovation by working with start-ups all over the world in order to take on a pioneering role in terms of sustainability".