The billion-dollar infrastructure project is intended to solve the traffic problems in and around the congestion-plagued city of Salzburg. However, the construction is considered controversial and has caused an increasingly heated climate between supporters and opponents in recent months.
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Specifically, the citizens will decide on Sunday not about the S-LINK alone, but about a “Salzburg mobility solution”, which also provides for two branch lines and a reorganization of regional bus services. The question on the ballot paper is: “Should the state of Salzburg ensure that, in the interest of reducing traffic, the extension of the local railway to Hallein (S-LINK) is implemented as part of a mobility solution that also includes a Stiegl and a trade fair/airport railway .” The city and state of Salzburg have published their own information brochures to help with the decision.
Broad political support
There is broad political support across all factions for the S-LINK, but the parties have made the construction dependent on the results of the survey. Only the social democrats in the city and the country are clearly against the project. For Salzburg’s SPÖ mayor Bernhard Auinger, it is not just the railway’s potential to relieve pressure that is controversial. He fears that the construction will restrict the city’s financial scope for many years – especially since it is not yet clear how the state and city will divide their share of the construction costs. In the event of a yes vote on Sunday, Auinger wants to set a cost cap for the city – as was the case in Linz with the S-Bahn project there.
Proponents, on the other hand, speak of an “opportunity of the century”, especially since a railway through the city has been discussed for over 40 years. Studies confirm a positive benefit-cost ratio, and the federal government has also agreed to cover half of the costs. “We have the chance to have 50 percent of the costs financed by the federal government. If we don’t take action, the money will be gone,” emphasized State Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP). Without S-LINK, other measures against traffic jams in the city cannot be implemented. The “For” initiative and a 350-person committee with representatives from politics, business and science are seeking support.
Headwinds are diverse
But the headwind is diverse: the very question has caused discussions: for many it seems constructed and complex. A report commissioned by the Salzburg Chamber of Labor also criticized the vague and unclear wording and the linking of the sub-projects, some of which have neither planning nor financing. The fact that the “motorist party” ÖVP is pushing the project so vehemently is also causing skepticism. Many consider it to be unbelievable when it comes to the ecological transport transition. Critics lack the commitment to ban car traffic from the city center after completion, as is now the case in many European cities.
Initiatives such as “Stop U-Bahn”, “Pro Nature” and “Save the Old Town” have recently continually emphasized the disadvantages of the project – even if it is not always clear how many people they actually speak for. They warn of a “billion-dollar grave” or see the money better invested in other transport projects. Hoteliers and businesses along the route fear for their business during the construction phase, and residents are afraid of damage and cracks in their buildings. Recently, the protest even became a generational issue: While a handful of old politicians mobilized against the S-LINK, the youth organizations of all parties – excluding young socialists – demanded a clear yes.
No ready-made “Plan B”
There is no ready-made “Plan B” in the event of a no vote. But there is a need for action not only for reasons of climate protection: “We have 60,000 commuters in the city every day, 60,000 internal commuters and 15,000 commuters who commute mainly by car – and there is also leisure and tourist traffic. Public transport in Salzburg remains currently stuck in a traffic jam,” said the managing director of the Salzburg Transport Association (SVV), Johannes Gfrerer.
Around 250,000 people are entitled to vote on Sunday. There are no predictions as to how the vote will turn out. The SVV surveyed the mood regarding the project in the spring. At that time, 41 percent spoke out against and 41 percent in favor of the S-LINK. The rest were undecided or did not want to provide information. In a citizen survey initiated by project opponents in November 2023 in the city of Salzburg, 58 percent voted against an underground S-LINK – but without any binding consequences for politics. Voter turnout back then: 22 percent.
The first results will be published on Sunday after voting closes at 4 p.m., the provisional final result should be available between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
ePaper
E in the evening. The outcome will significantly influence the future of Salzburg’s transportation infrastructure and potentially reshape the community’s mobility landscape.
There is a palpable tension between various stakeholder interests, highlighting the complex dynamics surrounding urban planning and transportation development. Local residents, business owners, and political entities are at the heart of this dialogue as they navigate the intertwining issues of ecological impact, economic priorities, and urban living standards.
As the votes are counted, the community waits anxiously to see how the decision will affect traffic, public transport initiatives, and overall quality of life in Salzburg. The development of the S-LINK and its accompanying projects continues to be a focal point of debate, with implications far beyond transport, reaching into areas of environmental sustainability and urban policy.
