Tunnels can be used for all sorts of fun purposes. You could, for example, build one under a major urban highway in an attempt to relieve traffic congestion.
Alternatively, you could build a tunnel for bicycles; one that stitches together two disconnected parts of a city and creates a new modern parking facility for 1,240 bicycles. And on May 22, Zurich unveiled exactly this.
Here's a video (I have no idea what the guy is saying but hopefully it's positive).
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The new tunnel — called the Stadttunnell — is only 440 meters long. But it runs under Zurich's main train station and connects District 4 and 5. Previously, this was a more awkward and dangerous connection given the train station.
What's also interesting about this tunnel is that it was started in the 1980s as part of a planned urban highway. But when that was scrapped, the tunnel sat dormant. Now it's back and it shows a massive commitment to sustainable mobility. The project cost 38.6 million Swiss francs.
I'd love to check in a year from now to see how well used it is, and how many people park their bikes here. Thankfully, there's a bike counter.
Cover photo from Stadt Zürich
