No more motorized transit in the city center: Switzerland is looking at “superblocks”, these almost car-free neighborhoods initially developed in Barcelona. In this gridded city, some streets have become pedestrianized, others one-way, to calm traffic. Instead, green spaces, street furniture and cycle paths, and above all less noise, pollution and heat islands.
The Federal Roads Office, led by SVP Albert Rösti, has commissioned a research project on the subject in order to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of such systems and to produce a manual for use by the authorities, reports “Blick”.
Bern is at the stage of planning through a participatory process, while Zurich is moving quickly on the similar concept of neighborhood blocks. Basel launched its own project in 2024, currently blocked by opponents. They criticize the “blocking of neighborhoods” and a “generalized hostility to the car,” quotes the newspaper. Local UDC elected official Joël Thüring believes that the detours will create new CO emissions2 rather than avoiding it.
If the French-speaking towns are not on the front line, in particular because of topography or unsuitable size, local experiences are similar.
Neuchâtel, for example, has long limited traffic in the Beaux-Arts district by making transit there “complicated”. The goal: to discourage motorists from using side roads, even when the main axis is congested. “Initially, this could create an increase in traffic on the main axis,” analyzes François Derouwaux, head of the Mobility Office. But in the medium term, intermediate streets become much more pleasant and soft mobility more fluid, therefore more attractive, which ultimately allows for a reduction in traffic.”
-
The Pâquis in the process of transformation
When questioned, Lausanne says it is studying the subject, but specifies that all options remain open with a view to multimodal accessibility, although the closure of certain axes has been discussed for years.
Geneva mentions several pedestrianization and calming projects, particularly near schools or on the Rue de Carouge side, between the Plainpalais roundabout and Les Augustins. The Pâquis will also be revegetated and the old “Green Cross” project has just received a boost with the help of a study loan of 4.2 million francs. The idea: limit traffic on two axes while the other streets would be slowed down and greened.
Mini-superblocks already exist
Some cities already practice the method more or less, without giving it this name. La Chaux-de Fonds notes that its checkerboard structure would lend itself to this as well as its already one-way traffic plan. “In fact, we already have a few pedestrian streets which form small superblocks,” describes the head of the town planning department, Patrick Jobin. We therefore await with interest the experiences of other cities in this area in order, if necessary, to develop our practices.”
In Sion, if the name “superbloc” is not appropriate given its size, most of the measures that these include are already envisaged there to “reduce the negative impacts of the car in the city, better share public space and develop new social features.
