Rigi Gondola Project Recieves Positive Assessment By The Federal Nature And Heritage Commission
The independent extra-parliamentary commission with 15 members has finally assessed the Weggis – Rigi Kaltbad gondola project and confirmed its report from 2019. The planned gondola with 22 cabins will only cause a slight additional impairment of the federal inventory of landscapes and natural monuments of national importance (BLN object ). Interventions that do not question the protection goals are classified as “mild impairment”. The official expertise of the ENHK is of great importance both for the licensing authorities and for any legal action.
The Rigi Bahnen are pleased to note that the building permit submitted meets all of the requirements from the 2019 report by the Federal Nature and Heritage Commission. CEO Frédéric Füssenich notes: “We took the requirements of the ENHK very seriously and treated them as a priority in the planning.” The height of the truss supports was optimized, the noise emissions from the railway were minimized and the forest cover was reduced, which enabled the trees to grow more. Furthermore, the protection of dry meadows was taken into account. The good integration of the valley and mountain stations into the landscape was particularly praised. Both buildings have been extensively resized compared to 2019.
The commission imposes conditions for further detailed planning. Particular attention was paid to monitoring collisions with birds, which is why the color tonality of the gondola glazing must be discussed with the Sempach bird observatory. The protective structures of masts 4 and 7 must be integrated into the landscape as best as possible. The existing parking lot at the valley station needs to be unsealed on a larger area. Frédéric Füssenich is grateful for the specific requirements. «The ENHK has dealt extensively with the construction project and submitted sensible applications, which Rigi Bahnen will implement in full. The ENHK report confirms that the gondola lift fits into the landscape and that the project is able to meet the high design requirements of the BLN.
Various objections are pending against the construction project. The Rigi Bahnen are striving to reach an amicable agreement in dialogue with the objectors and will actively seek an exchange based on the ENHK decision and the adjustments to the mobility concept. “Our corporate vision “Quality creates added value” guides us in this generational project. Instead of being crowded together in a large cabin, with the new gondola lift we would like to offer each of our guests a seat to enjoy the unique view of the lake and the mountains. It will probably be some time before the groundbreaking takes place. The current operating license for our aerial tramway expires in September 2027. We would like to start construction by then at the latest. We expect a nine-month construction period and could then open the new railway in early summer 2028. The project is definitely a marathon and not a sprint. The legal requirements are very comprehensive, but the dialogue with the Federal Office of Transport is productive. We have a competent and motivated project team and have already overcome many hurdles. The positive decision by the ENHK gives us a lot of confidence that we will be able to implement this great project and also overcome the challenges that lie ahead of us.”
https://www.rigi.ch/ueber-uns/rigi-projekte/erneuerung-seilbahn-weggis
