Dust and noise

Major tunnel construction site also affects Hallwang

The first trains are due to travel through the 16.5-kilometer tunnel from 2040.(Bild: MANUEL MARKTL manuelmarktl.com)

The ÖBB billion-euro project does not affect Köstendorf alone. Work will also continue on the western side of the tunnel for several years. The concerns are similar everywhere.

The mayor of Hallwang, Johannes Ebner, wants the greatest possible protection for the population during ÖBB's construction work on the Flachgau Tunnel. The structure will run 16.5 kilometers with two tubes through the Flachgau region. "This will be a massive construction site for years and of course we will also notice it here," says the head of the village. As well as Köstendorf, work will also be carried out in Hallwang.

The fact that the material will also be transported here by rail is a significant improvement.

Johannes Ebner, Bürgermeister der Gemeinde Hallwang

Although there will be no landfill for the excavated material, as originally planned for the east portal, the material will still have to be transported away. A new rail track will be built for loading the material - in Köstendorf, as reported, there will be eight tracks. The fears and concerns are similar in both communities. "We are mainly concerned about the noise, dust and vibrations," says Ebner, who will submit a statement on this with his community in the EIA process.

The western part of the tunnel will also have an impact on the population.(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

One requirement is an enclosure of the loading track, as was also demanded for the new bridges over the Fischach. However, the latter will not be necessary as ÖBB has decided to cross the watercourse underground instead of on the surface. "A lot has improved in the western section of the tunnel. But we have to keep at it in order to provide the best protection for the population."

One example of this is the Söllheimerstraße underpass, which has to be rebuilt because of the railroad line. "A temporary underpass is needed, otherwise it will be a hassle for commuters," the mayor is certain.