ÖBB moves tunnel excavation onto rails
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The conflicts surrounding the construction of the high-speed railway tunnel in the Flachgau are now to be resolved step by step in rounds of talks between residents and ÖBB. On Wednesday evening, the Federal Railways made the first concessions and no longer want to dump the tunnel excavation in Köstendorf (Flachgau), but rather take it to the landfill by train.
Two and a half million cubic meters of excavated material from the new railway tunnel are no longer to be dumped next to the tunnel portal in Köstendorf-Karlsreith, as previously planned, but are to be transported by rail to other landfills. The ÖBB want to meet this demand from the local residents – they emphasized this on Wednesday at a first dialogue forum with mayors and local residents.
Environmentalists have previously discovered protected insects, such as the black pit ground beetle, on the planned landfill sites of the construction site. In addition, residents have threatened massive resistance to rock dumps. “The plans will be adjusted in such a way that interventions in the interests of the residents are prevented and interventions in the habitat of protected animals are largely avoided,” says ÖBB project manager Christian Höss.
Better noise protection promised
The federal railways also responded to the demands of citizens’ initiatives and communities on some points of contention, says Köstendorf Mayor Wolfgang Wagner (ÖVP): There should also be extensive noise protection during the construction phase. In addition, the ÖBB had promised that more consideration would be given to the groundwater when drilling the tunnel itself.
Social Democrats fear further disadvantages for residents
For the Köstendorfer SPÖ, the promises are not sufficient: because freight trains with tunnel excavation should mainly run at off-peak times or at night. Four to six full trains are to be expected there, and in front of the tunnel portal construction site there is a loading station with seven tracks and the corresponding noise when maneuvering and loading, criticizes SPÖ councilor Bernhard Weiß.
Discussions in Köstendorf are also to be expected. ÖBB and local representatives now want to go through issues such as noise or groundwater step by step. The next round of talks is planned for the end of June. The ÖBB want to submit all documents for the approval at the beginning of 2024. The commissioning of the high-capacity rail tunnel is planned for 2040.
