Referendum

10 questions and answers on the S-Link project

Salzburg is divided. Both opponents and supporters of the large-scale project have mobilized in recent weeks and months. Politically, the situation is clearer: all parties, with the exception of the SPÖ, are in favor of the new mobility solution for Salzburg.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

250,000 Salzburg residents will vote on the largest transport project in Salzburg on Sunday. The "Krone" has the most important questions and answers about the billion-euro project.

1. what is the S-Link?
The S-Link is the planned, partly underground extension of the Salzburg local line through the state capital via Anif to Hallein. It represents the "main artery" of the major mobility solution. This also includes the construction of a trade fair railroad, the connection to the airport and the revitalization of the existing Stiegl tracks.

2. where does the line run?
The line will run from the underground station at the main railway station to Mirabellplatz. From there it runs along the old town to Nonntal. The route is planned to run via Alpenstraße to Salzburg Süd and then via Anif to Hallein. The line will run underground as far as Alpenstraße.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

3. how much does the S-Link cost? 
 The costs depend on how far the line runs underground. The "emergence" is planned between Akademiestraße and Hellbrunner Brücke. The cost estimates for the entire project are between 2 and 2.8 billion euros. Critics are certain that it will be significantly more expensive. The planning company refers to the calculated risk surcharge. The federal government is covering 50 percent of the construction costs. The rest has to be paid by the state and the city.

4. when will the project finally be implemented?
If there is a yes vote on Sunday, the project will get underway in full. The start of construction for the first stage up to Mirabellplatz is planned for next year. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the first section is already underway. The local line will then be able to run below Mirabellplatz in 2028 at the earliest. It is not yet entirely clear how it will continue southwards. The official procedures are due to start in 2025. Depending on their length, it will take at least another ten years before the S-Link finally reaches Hallein.

5. how will the long-term construction phase proceed?
During the excavation work, the first section up to Mirabell in particular will be excavated using a cut-and-cover method instead of a tunnel boring machine. The tunnel shell is concreted into the ground and only then is the soil excavated using special machines. This means that individual sections can be constructed in just three months. The impact on local residents and traffic should be kept as short as possible.

6. who will benefit?
Commuters along the Lokalbahn route and further south to Hallein will be the main beneficiaries. If the announced reduction in car traffic occurs, all residents of the city of Salzburg will benefit, as will car drivers and the postal and trolleybus services. With a trade fair streetcar, the flow of tourists could be better directed and cars and buses could be kept out of the city center. In any case, it would stimulate the construction industry if implemented.

Both camps have mobilized strongly.

(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

Both camps have mobilized strongly.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

7. what are the risks?
Building in Salzburg's underground, the Seeton, is considered to be very challenging. This has already been demonstrated in numerous major projects. The S-Link planners consider the risk to be manageable, not least because of the progress made in construction technology. Whether the construction will have an impact on the old town houses is controversial. Critics fear that it will.

8. what are the alternatives?
A total of 14 public transport alternatives were examined. Six of them ran exclusively on the surface. The current plan proved to be the best solution. Mayor Bernhard Auinger (SPÖ) is in favor of a fairground railroad, but is against the S-Link and proposes express buses as an alternative.

9. who can vote in the referendum?
Only citizens from the city of Salzburg, Flachgau and Tennengau are entitled to vote. Around 250,000 Salzburg residents are therefore allowed to vote on the major project. There was criticism because not all of Salzburg is allowed to vote.

10. what happens after the referendum?
The parties have given assurances that they will abide by the outcome of the referendum. If the result is negative, the project will not be pursued any further. However, the referendum on Sunday is not binding for political decisions.