MERANO. Step forward for the Merano Mobility Center. The provincial council, reports the mobility councilor, Daniel Alfreiderhas “defined the margin within which we can launch a design tender”. The work which, the councilor underlined, will be carried out in agreement with the Municipality of Merano, it will cost almost 29 million eurosor, 16 of which, thanks to agreements with the government, will come from European funds.
The mobility center will have a thousand spaces for bicycles, a 150 meter platform for buses, 350 parking spaces for commuters and parking spaces for taxis and NCC. An underground ramp is also planned to directly reach the train station platforms. “The mobility center – underlined Alfreider – will be one of those necessary pieces to improve access to the railway, public transport, public road transport and will give a better quality of life to the city of Merano and to those who travel without a car “.
With the Mobility Center, the area of the current train station will be reorganized as an intermodal center, but will also serve as an urban recreational area for the city. “The transition to bus, train or bicycle will be successful if we use our services and key infrastructures such as Mobility Centers to create truly convenient and attractive offers for users. Following the example of the Mobility Centers in Brunico and Bressanone, now even Merano and the western part of the province will have an inviting and convenient hub for public mobility”, says Alfreider.
All arrival and departure points for buses, bicycles and trains will be grouped in the northern area of the station, to facilitate passenger orientation and transfer between the various means of transport. Likewise, the road network around the current station area will be redesigned. The new centre, with around 350 parking spaces, will be easily accessible underground for commuters, thus helping to reduce traffic on the roads. Thanks to the design competition, the planners ensured that the center will fit harmoniously into the partly historic urban environment and revitalize the neighborhood. Approximately 28.4 million euros will be invested in the new Mobility Center. 16.5 million euros come from the Development and Cohesion Fund, while the Province will invest over 11.9 million euros. The necessary land is made available by the Province and partly by the Municipality of Merano. Sta – Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige SpA, an in-house company of the Province, was entrusted with the design and construction. According to councilor Alfreider, now that the framework conditions have been established, planning could begin in 2025, with the prospect of implementation as early as 2026.