Mega project

Feldkirch tunnel spider: start of the main work

State Councillor Marco Tittler, State Governor Christof Bitschi and the two site mayors Manfred Rädler (Feldkirch) and Walter Gohm (Frastanz) at the site inspection.

(Bild: Bernd Hofmeister)

Blasting starts in mid-March: Vorarlberg's most controversial infrastructure project, the Feldkirch city tunnel, is now entering the hot implementation phase.  

It is a generational project: Between 367 and 385 million euros have been budgeted for the new Feldkirch city tunnel; this year alone, 29 million euros will flow into the project from the state budget. In view of the state's ailing coffers and the need for rigorous austerity measures, many critics would prefer to see the tunnel construction buried. Proponents, on the other hand, point to the precarious traffic situation in Feldkirch - only a large tunnel solution, they argue, can provide lasting relief for the population.

Completion planned for 2030
While the debate is still raging, the main work is already underway. The construction site is currently in full swing and blasting for the so-called pre-cut will begin in mid-March. The excavation for the main tunnel is then scheduled to begin in fall 2025 and last until summer 2028, after which the "finishing work" will begin. If everything goes according to plan, the tunnel could be opened to traffic as early as 2030.

Local economy benefits
"We very much welcome the fact that the important future-oriented city tunnel project is now making rapid progress," said Provincial Governor Christof Bitschi (FPÖ) and State Councillor for Economic Affairs Marco Tittler (ÖVP) in a joint press release. Both also see the mega-project as an economic stimulus measure, especially as the project is being implemented under the leadership of local companies. Nevertheless, Bitschi announced just over a week ago that he wanted to explore potential savings due to the high costs.