The Glattalbahn Transport for a Vibrant Network City
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The Glattalbahn Transport for a vibrant network city 2 The Glattal’s location between the city of Zurich and the international airport combined with superb accessibility make it the preferred location for many national and inter- national businesses. A new backbone for a dynamic region 3 Increasing Demand for Mobility Support from the Canton The Middle Glattal area, located between Zurich The Canton of Zurich enthusiastically supported and its international airport, has been experi- the Glattalbahn plan since it was consistent with encing rapid growth for many years. The area’s the Canton’s strategic housing and transport formerly separate villages have grown together policy objectives. These policies encourage into a functionally connected network city. provision of balanced public and private trans- But growth has also had a downside. New port infrastructure designed to promote high development at the periphery of the “old” Glat- quality of life in densely settled areas. In 1995, tal villages created relatively dense residential, the Glattalbahn was incorporated into the Can- employment and retail centres built with little re- ton’s Master Plan. In 1998, the government lationship to each other and lacking any clear gave the VBG Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal AG re- organizing structure. Transport demand grew sponsibility for implementing the Glattalbahn. In steadily while the transport infrastructure, par- 2003, the citizens of the Canton of Zurich ap- ticularly the roadway network, reached its ca- proved funding for the Glattalbahn in a public pacity limit. The result was increasing conges- referendum. tion delaying both private vehicles as well as The Glattal: home to three of eleven Cantonal devel- roadway-based public transport. opment centres The Canton of Zurich’s 1995 Glattal municipalities seize the initiative Master Plan designated eleven “development areas”. These In 1990, the mayors of the Glattal municipalities areas include existing or future recognized the need for coordinated action and areas targeted for urban de- began developing a concept for the Glattal- velopment of significance at the cantonal level. The Master bahn. Their goal was to connect the Middle Plan targets sustainable deve- Glattal’s developed areas with an efficient pub- Glattal municipalities lopment of these areas, pay- lic transport system combining the best quali- ing particular attention to the ties of an S-Bahn and a local bus system. landscape, the environment Kloten and quality of life. Three of the Canton’s development areas Rümlang are located in the Glattal. The Bassersdorf Glattalbahn is a central pre- Opfikon/ requisite for their sustainable Glattbrugg Dietli- development. It connects kon Zürich 11 Wallisellen these development areas and Wangen- neighbourhoods into a func- Brüttisellen tionally integrated “Network Zürich 12 City Glattal”, while at the same Dübendorf time seamlessly linking them to the higher level transport Development areas networks of regional trains, Glattalbahn long distance trains and air Hardwald Rail Loop transport. The Glattalbahn’s Zurich Airport station with its dynamic “Flying Roof” A basis for sustainable development 4 Milestones Improving quality of life trian and bicycle connections. These elements The Glattal municipalities and the Canton of Zu- will be completed together creating a truly mul- 1990 Initial ideas discussed timodal system. in Glattal communities rich want to encourage optimal economic de- 1992 Alignment studies velopment of the Middle Glattal. Two key ele- Demand-based staging plan 1995 Alignment incorporated ments of this effort are using spatial planning to into Cantonal Master improve quality of life, and providing a balanced The 12.7 kilometres Glattalbahn project con- Plan supply of public and private transport infra- sists of three stages, with each stage being 1996 System decision structure. placed into service following a two year cycle. 1998 VBG given responsibil- This staging plan was developed based on cur- ity for project Transport concept rent public transport demand and development 1999 Completion of timing for adjoining projects. preliminary study The Glattalbahn is the key element and organ- Application for the in- izing principle for the area’s overall transport frastructure concession strategy. The project includes optimizing the 2001 Infrastructure conces- roadway network and creating effective pedes- sion awarded by Swiss Federal Council Completion of The Glattalbahn staging plan construction planning 2002 Application for the Fracht construction permit 2003 Canton of Zurich voters approve project financing 2004 Construction permit ap- proved by the Federal Office of Transport Groundbreaking for first stage of construction 2006 Groundbreaking for second stage of con- Glattpark struction Auzelg Dec. First stage 2006 enters service by permission of swisstopo (BA091546) Reproduced 2008 Groundbreaking for Messe/Hallenstadion third stage of Glattalbahn construction Roadway improvements Dec. Second stage Stage 1 2008 enters service Bahnhof Stettbach Stage 2 Dec. Third stage VBZ Tram network extension Fries-/Binzmühlestrasse 2010 enters service Stage 3 Under Study: Hardwald Rail Loop (from 2007 Master Plan) 5 Collaborative planning process ■ Continuous design Designing the Glattalbahn meant optimizing The stations and infrastructure share a con- and coordinating complex technical, political, sistent design based on a distinctive modern legal and procedural processes. To be success- architecture. Individual infrastructure ele- ful, all those participating in the planning and ments contribute significantly to overall ap- impacted by the project needed to consciously pearance and appreciation of the surround- cooperate. The following four guiding principles ing environment. The Glattalbahn’s design were used to help design the highest possible highlights relationships between spaces and quality project: their functions. Connections, access routes and paths are clearly apparent. Special meas- ■ Integrated transport project ures are introduced at stations and in their The Glattalbahn consciously combines multi- surrounding areas to call attention to the rail modal transport systems into an integrated line. whole. Complementary projects (e.g. the new Glattparkstrasse, the new Birchstrasse, the ■ Master planning for workable solutions new Leutschenbach – Bahnhof Oerlikon Ost The Glattalbahn is not simply an additional tram extension) are all part of the overall transport mode, but is designed to help stim- project. The Glattalbahn is designed to serve ulate urban development and provide an or- the majority of new transport demand so that ganizing structure for its service area. In loca- Balancing quality roadway system performance can be main- tions with high development potential, plan- objectives tained. Finally, the project provides connec- ners worked closely with all stakeholders The Glattalbahn was devel- tions for pedestrians and bicycles as well as developing specific master plans to guide fu- oped using a systematic and methodical process designed fully accessible routes for disabled persons. ture growth. to balance six key quality goals. These quality goals are ■ Façade to façade planning Value systems based on the classic sustain- ability triangle with its goals Glattalbahn planners considered the rail line Social Usability acceptability of social, economic and envi- an integral part of the urban fabric and sur- ronmental compatibility, to rounding landscape. Therefore, the project’s which was added safety, du- planning perimeter stretches from façade to rability and usability, thus cre- ating a quality hexagon. The façade, and the project considers more than Efficiency Safety process evaluated whether just the minimum railway infrastructure. This the quality objectives were in approach highlights the project’s commit- harmony. If the shapes of the quality objectives formed a ment to using the rail line to shape the urban circle, then the overall Glattal- environment. Durability Environmental bahn design was considered compatibility balanced. The heart of the VBG-bus network: Zurich Airport bus station in Kloten. Implementation by the VBG, the local public transport company 6 A project ideally suited to Responsible project implementation and Costs and funding regional planning policy management The Glattalbahn, including its complementary The Glattalbahn will improve life quality in an intensively The Glattalbahn’s clients are the federal govern- transport measures, cost approximately 650 used, dynamic settlement ment, through the UVEK (Federal Department of million Swiss francs (1 April 2001 value). The zone. This objective corre- the Environment, Transport, Energy and Com- majority of investment came from the Canton of sponds exactly with federal and regional planning policy munications) and the Canton of Zurich, through Zurich. The federal government supported the and therefore has received fi- the Canton’s Economic Development Depart- second and third stages with funding from the nancial support from both lev- ment. The federal government is represented by Federal Infrastructure Fund. The local commu- els of government. the Federal Office of Transport (BAV). The re- nities and other third parties also made sub- gion’s public transport coordinating agency, the stantial contributions to the investment. Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV), represents the The vehicles, the maintenance facilities and Canton and is responsible for administering the operating expenses are funded