Asfinag's A22 Expansion Promises Noise Protection, But Residents Wait
Asfinag's plans to expand the A22 include significant noise protection measures, with walls up to 13 meters high proposed for the city side. However, no construction has begun yet, and residents have been waiting for noise reduction for over a year.
The demand for better noise protection along the A22 was raised in parliament around 1.5 years ago by a citizen initiative, 'Tunnel and green transition', which collected 1,413 signatures. Despite this, the Ministry of Transport's statement did not address the issue directly, and no maintenance measures are planned for another decade.
The A22 is already noisy, even before the planned expansion to six lanes. Residential buildings are as close as 70 meters from the route. The ministry considers the expansion necessary for safety reasons due to expected traffic increases. However, the Stockerauer Au, a protected area by European law, is also affected by the noise from the A22.
Asfinag's expansion plans include noise protection walls up to 13 meters high on the city side of the A22. The ministry has implemented noise protection measures for the expansion route, with reports addressing noise reduction between Liestal Altmarkt and Lausen. However, no part of the planned infrastructure has been constructed yet.
While the Ministry of Transport has made efforts to mitigate noise impacts along the A22 corridor, the expansion project has not yet begun, and residents continue to experience noise pollution. The citizen initiative opposes the latest chapter in the A22 expansion project, highlighting the need for more immediate action to protect both residents and the environment.
