Minor change

City tunnel continues to stir emotions

Work on the controversial project in Feldkirch is currently at a standstill.(Bild: Dietmar Stiplovsek)

Climate activists are delighted that construction of the tunnel spider has been halted. But it could be history again in just two weeks.  

Success after a year of protest: The tunnel spider has finally been stopped, rejoice the members of "Extinction Rebellion Vorarlberg" after construction of the controversial project was halted. "It is clear to us that our protests have caused the project to wobble," Martina Eisendle is convinced. The climate activists are convinced that the environmental impact assessment has to be restarted due to a formal error. "It is unlikely that such a backward monster will be approved again," says Marina Hagen-Canaval. Provincial Governor Markus Wallner should finally speak plainly and admit that the tunnel spider is history.

There have been repeated protests.(Bild: Extinction Rebellion Vorarlberg)

Normal adaptations
This is by no means the case, those responsible in the state are convinced. After all, there is a project that has gone through all the necessary procedures. It is completely normal for adaptations to be made in the course of planning or implementing a construction project.

"In our view, the change that has now been submitted to the authorities is a minor one," says Gerhard Schnitzer, head of the road construction department. However, this is a matter for the authorities to assess. If those responsible come to the same conclusion, construction work in Feldkirch could resume in just two weeks. In principle, the project is progressing according to plan, both in terms of the time component and the costs. The latter are still just over 300 million euros.