Koralm Tunnel, S 7, A 9

Minister Gewessler: “We are not concreting here”

Green Minister Leonore Gewessler.

(Bild: APA/FLORIAN WIESER)

In an interview with "Krone", Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler counters criticism from Governor Drexler and talks about the completion of the Koralm Tunnel, the opening of the S 7 and the third lane for the A 9.

"Krone": Minister, the installation of the overhead line is now beginning in the Koralm Tunnel, the last major construction measure before the trial operation of the railroad starts this December.
Leonore Gewessler: The Koralm Tunnel is now really moving towards opening. The work is on schedule. The first train will take people through the tunnel in 2025. Then a new, modern era will begin for traffic between Graz and Klagenfurt.

Governor Christopher Drexler criticized you heavily in his "Styria speech" this week and emphasized that "we Styrians can be stubborn and persistent" when it comes to the demand for a third lane on the A 9 motorway, for example.
The scientific formula is simple: more roads, more congestion. More rail, more climate-friendly public transport. And the Koralm Tunnel is also good proof that when it comes to courageous transport policy, you have to think in terms of decades and not months.

Traffic opening on the brand new S 7 on Saturday: Infrastructure Minister Gewessler was not present at the opening ceremony the day before, as she had "other appointments" ...

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

The decade-long S 7 project was opened to traffic on Saturday, but you were conspicuous by your absence at the opening ...
It also applies to freeways like the S 7: once they are built, they determine how people will travel in the future.

As Infrastructure Minister, would you have approved a project like the S 7?
I stand by that: With new construction projects, you have to weigh things up beforehand: How important is the protection of our climate and our soil to us? I am firmly convinced of this: We owe it to future generations to take care of our livelihoods. We must then have the courage to decide: We are not concreting here and are looking for better solutions.

So "no concreting" means a clear no to the A9 expansion?
That also applies to the A9. There, too, the question is: do we want even more traffic and congestion or do we protect valuable farmland and work on sustainable mobility?