Lenzburg's major project: 7.7 million for Freiämterplatz!

Lenzburg's major project: 7.7 million for Freiämterplatz!

At the Lenzburg residents' council meeting, which took place on Thursday evening, a positive review of the year 2024 was given. The city administration reports that most of the planned projects have largely gone according to plan. However, high investments are expected in the coming years, including the expansion of Freiämterplatz, for which a loan of 7.7 million francs was unanimously approved Aargauer Zeitung reported.

The meeting also highlighted the annual financial statements and several loan statements. The council members appeared harmonious in their votes. Particular mention was made of the loan settlements for the renovation and redesign of Bahnhofstrasse and the renovation of Ringstrasse Nord, where the loan was exceeded by around 25 percent. Adrian Höhn from the GLP attributed this overrun to bus shelters being forgotten in the budget and announced the introduction of a new checklist to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Expansion of Freiämterplatz as a major project

Exchanging information about the planned future projects was a central theme of the meeting. The expansion of Freiämterplatz is particularly noteworthy. The total cost of the project is 23.9 million francs. The city has applied for a commitment loan of 7,659,032 francs to finance the measures. This includes the expansion of a 700 meter long section of Hendschikerstrasse and a 1,290 meter long section of Niederlenzerstrasse. In addition, new pedestrian crossings and lanes will be created, continuous bicycle lanes will be set up and separate bus lanes will be created, reports LBA.

The intended goal of the project is to promote slow transport and public transport, especially buses. The renewal of the factory pipelines and the road superstructure is also part of the planned measures. One of the biggest challenges remains the high volume of traffic, which reaches up to 2,300 vehicles per hour at the junction at peak times. The current traffic situation not only leads to traffic jams, but also to unhappy road users.

Political aspects and next steps

The citizens of Lenzburg will discuss the contributions to this important project in the near future, together with the neighboring community of Niederlenz, which must also give its consent. The canton of Aargau is also offering financial support of 1.7 million francs from the agglomeration program, provided that a legally binding decision is made by December 31, 2027.

The political sensitivity of the project should not be underestimated. Questions about security, accessibility and compliance with legal requirements, such as the Disability Equality Act, are highly discussed. A possible truck ban on Staufbergstrasse could also make construction work more difficult and is met with resistance from the city and the local SVP party. The earliest start of construction is scheduled for 2030, with construction time estimated at three years.