The Zurich model is the approach by the city of
Zurich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
in Switzerland that permitted its
public transportation
Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of whi ...
system to achieve and maintain a high market share. Many other cities have emulated elements of it, especially when new tram systems were introduced.
History
In the 1970s, Zurich was planning to move many of the
tram lines in its central area into tunnels. This project was rejected in a
referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
. In the 1970s, a project to create an
underground railway was similarly rejected.
Despite the failures of these attempts to provide Zurich with a different kind of transportation system, public transportation in Zurich has maintained a high
modal split, with 65% of people commuting within the city doing so by public transport and only 17% using cars.
[ In his book, '' Status Anxiety'', ]Alain de Botton
Alain de Botton (; born 20 December 1969) is a Swiss-born British author and public speaker. His books discuss various contemporary subjects and themes, emphasizing philosophy's relevance to everyday life. He published ''Essays in Love'' (1993) ...
has suggested why the model is so effective:
Elements of the model
*A dense network providing many direct connections and short headways.
*High priorities at intersections.
*Low impact of road congestion on operations.
* Parking maximums (introduced in 1989), followed by parking limits in the downtown (1996).
See also
* Health impact of light rail systems
* Karlsruhe model
* Melbourne Principles
* Public transport in Zurich
** Trams in Zurich
** Trolleybuses in Zurich
** Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich
** Zürcher Verkehrsverbund
** Zurich S-Bahn
* Zurich underground railway
References
Public transport in Switzerland
Transport in Zurich
Transportation planning
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