Feldkirch city tunnel

The Feldkirch city tunnel is intended to relieve inner-city traffic and improve the quality of life in the town. Construction work is in full swing. But there is criticism of the project. You can read all about it here.

The history of the Feldkirch city tunnel began around 50 years ago. At that time, the first ideas on how to counteract the congestion in Feldkirch’s city center began to gain momentum. Feldkirch, the second largest city in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, has a population of around 36,000. In contrast, the Bärenkreuzung alone is frequented by 40,000 to 50,000 vehicles every day. The city administration and local residents have therefore been struggling to find a solution for some time.

Feldkirch’s geographical proximity to the border led to debates in the 1970s about connecting Liechtenstein to the Austrian highway network via a Liechtenstein expressway (S17). The plans were rejected at the time. Some time later in the 1990s, a planned final tunnel also met with fierce criticism. However, the project initiated a planning process in which the state of Vorarlberg, the city of Feldkirch, the market town of Frastanz and the Principality of Liechtenstein were to agree on a possible design solution. At the end of the process, the so-called “Variant 5.3” won out and was selected for implementation.

The new Feldkirch city tunnel has a total length of 3,950 meters. Four tunnel branches meet in an underground traffic circle with a diameter of 70 meters. The four access tunnels, including the central traffic circle, have given the city tunnel its nickname, the Feldkirch tunnel spider. Those responsible predict that the construction will reduce overall traffic by around a quarter. The reduction in HGV traffic will even be almost 60 percent. In addition to sustainable traffic relief and a reduction in noise and emissions, the city is hoping for positive effects on urban development and quality of life. The tunnel construction is therefore also accompanied by an expansion of mobility. The economic benefits of the Feldkirch city tunnel are also undeniable.

After the environmental impact assessment was successfully completed in 2019, the first preparatory measures began in 2020. Since the end of 2022, the approximately 1,200-metre-long Tisis exploratory tunnel has been dug into the ground. The exploratory tunnel should be completed by February of next year and provide important data for the construction of the Feldkirch city tunnel. However, despite good progress in the construction process and despite all the good intentions, the project has repeatedly come up against criticism.

Most recently, the environmental initiative “Transform” complained that the operators did not have all the rights to carry out the construction project. For example, the EIA decision could not be implemented as recommended. The initiative also talks about expropriations that are still pending. And last but not least, the cost development is opaque: “The costs are getting completely out of hand and therefore the population is really entitled to know what the whole thing costs,” says Andreas Postner, spokesperson for “Transform”. The initiative is therefore calling for an immediate halt to construction.

The state of Vorarlberg rejects the criticism of the environmental initiative. Project manager Bernhard Braza is also confident. An agreement with the landowners is to be expected and the budget of 300 million euros is also likely to be met. However, the project managers are aware of the explosive nature of the construction project. They are trying to involve local residents and interested parties. For example, via the information center in Feldkirch. With display boards, videos, a 3D model and a virtual tunnel flight, they provide insights there and try to convey the benefits for the city. The tunnel spider is scheduled to open in 2030.

There are also disputes about planned tunnel construction elsewhere – for example, a highway tunnel right next to the British Stonehenge.