Cities
Urban funicular for Merano
There is news around the urban ropeway plans in South Tyrol (we reported recently).
The idea of a ropeway from Merano to Schenna and, in a second step, to Dorf Tirol has been around since 2012. At that time, studies by the engineering firm EUT Engineering were circulating, and in 2018 the project was again examined by the South Tyrolean provincial government for a public-private partnership, so far without result.
Now the provincial mobility department confirms to Radio Rai South Tyrol that the construction could be made possible by 40 million euros from the reconstruction fund from Rome.
In addition, the regional government has approved part of the project – the funicular railroad from Merano to Schenna – at the end of August 2022, as it announced in a press release. According to the statement, the total length of the railroad will be 2.75 kilometers. Passengers are to get from Merano to Schenna in 9.3 minutes.
Route
The existing Karl Wolf parking lot in Merano will serve as the starting point for the funicular.
Effects hoped for
With the funicular, policymakers hope to reduce car traffic by 26 percent. Those traveling by public transport could save ten percent of the previous travel time, the project’s technicians stress.
In addition, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 1,400 tons per year. Overall, traffic using public transportation in Merano will increase from 22 percent to 42 percent, they say. The funicular is expected to carry 6,700 people per day, while the expanded bus lines will carry 9,000.
The mountain station and terminus
are to be built in Schenna next to the clubhouse.
Key data of the funicular
The proposed single-track solution consists of two shuttle trains for a maximum of 180 passengers each between the two terminus stations. The terminus in Schenna is to be built next to the clubhouse.
From Merano, the line runs in a tunnel in the direction of Schenna and reaches the industrial area of Tyrol, near which a first intermediate station is planned that can serve as an intermodal transfer point for passengers from the Val Passiria.
Then the route continues over a viaduct on the orographic right side of the river Passer and crosses it in front of the existing bicycle bridge. After that, the second stopover is near the sports field of Schenna, before the last section goes uphill via a climb in a tunnel to the village of Schenna.
The new mobility solution is expected to bring many benefits:
Less traffic with cars, less travel time and less carbon dioxide emissions.
Prehistory of the project
The 2012 study assumed investment costs of 48 million euros for the overall project (Merano – Schenna – Dorf Tirol) and investigated four-kilometer-long ropeway connections each in the form of funiculars, aerial tramways and circulating ropeways between the communities of Merano, Schenna and Dorf Tirol.
As early as 2012, the study had to focus on underground solution options in the route area between Merano and Dorf Tirol. A total of seven route variants were examined.
Specifically, the engineering office analyzed transportation facilities and station locations and defined route corridors. The seven route variants were evaluated from a technical, ecological and economic point of view with the selection of a proposal variant. Furthermore, the geological-geotechnical processing was carried out.
The functional and architectural study of the stations for the selection variant was carried out in cooperation with “Willeit Niederstätter Architects”. In addition, travel speeds, travel times and transport capacities were forecast and the construction and operating costs were determined.
The funicular is to start at the Karl Wolf parking lot in Merano. One intermediate station will be located at the Tyrol industrial park, the second intermediate station near the Schenna sports field. The top and end stations will be positioned at the clubhouse in Schenna.
