Politics Gotthard Base Tunnel

the porta alpina project, of window remains in sight in sedrun station, largely accepted in referendum, despite being later abandoned.

the realization of gbt, centrepiece of nrla, prototypical example of direct democracy in switzerland. in order accomplish mega-project political institutions had overcome many parliamentary sessions , several major popular votes, including following:

27 september 1992, nrla proposal (mandatory referendum): final proposal federal council accepted 63.6% yes votes (declined 1+2/2 cantons, turnout 45.9%)
20 february 1994, alps initiative (federal popular initiative): initiated few private people goal protect alpine environment negative impact of traffic accepted 51.9% yes votes (declined 7 cantons, turnout 41%). initiative accepted despite recommendation federal council 12 february 1992 decline initiative without counterproposal, , despite parliamentary recommendation (both chambers) 18 june 1993 decline initiative.
29 november 1998, public transport funding (mandatory referendum): total budget of chf 30 billion several public transport projects accepted 63.5% yes votes (declined 1+3/2 cantons, turnout 38.3%); nrla receive chf 13.6 billion
21 may 2000, bilateral eu agreements / 40-tonne trucks / heavy traffic fee (optional referendum): part of whole package of several bilateral agreements eu swiss accepted 67.2% yes votes (declined 2 cantons, turnout 48.3%) shift of upper limit trucks 28 tonnes 40 tonnes, @ same time eu agreed new heavy-traffic fee, used finance nrla
17 december 2003, ceneri base tunnel (parliamentary session): controversial funding of ceneri base tunnel passed parliamentary approval only; possibility optional referendum not raised political groups, nor public. then-in-charge transport minister, federal councilor moritz leuenberger, quoted saying way make railway [the gotthard axis] flat line between basel , chiasso.




^ le projet porta alpina est mort . swissinfo. 13 september 2007. retrieved 9 december 2016. 
^ politics . berne, switzerland: swiss federal archives sfa, swiss federal office of transport fot, swiss confederation. 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ yes nrla . berne, switzerland: swiss federal archives sfa, swiss federal office of transport fot, swiss confederation. 1 december 1992. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ bundesbeschluss über den bau der schweizerischen eisenbahn-alpentransversale (alpentransit-beschluss) – chronologie (in german, french, , italian). berne, switzerland: swiss federal chancellery, swiss federal council, swiss confederation. 14 june 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ duc-quang nguyen (6 june 2016). how direct democracy has grown on decades . swissinfo.ch – branch of swiss broadcasting corporation srg ssr. explore 600 national votes. berne, switzerland: swiss broadcasting corporation srg ssr. retrieved 2016-07-24. 
^ yes alps initiative . berne, switzerland: swiss federal archives sfa, swiss federal office of transport fot, swiss confederation. 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ volksinitiative zum schutze des alpengebietes vor dem transitverkehr (in german, french, , italian). berne, switzerland: swiss federal chancellery, swiss federal council, swiss confederation. 14 june 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ botschaft über die volksinitiative «zum schutze des alpengebietes vor dem transitverkehr» vom 12. februar 1992 (pdf). bundesblatt 1992 (official message federal council) (in german, french, , italian). berne, switzerland: swiss federal council. ii (nr. 13 von 7. april 1992). 12 february 1992. bbi 1992 ii 788. retrieved 2016-07-27. 
^ bundesbeschluss über die volksinitiative «zum schutze des alpengebietes vor dem transitverkehr» vom 18. juni 1993 (pdf). bundesblatt 1993 (official decision federal assembly) (in german, french, , italian). berne, switzerland: swiss federal council. ii (nr. 26 von 6. juli 1993). 18 june 1993. bbi 1993 ii 888. retrieved 2016-07-27. 
^ yes public transport funding . berne, switzerland: swiss federal archives sfa, swiss federal office of transport fot, swiss confederation. 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ bundesbeschluss über bau und finanzierung von infrastrukturvorhaben des öffentlichen verkehrs – chronologie (in german, french, , italian). berne, switzerland: swiss federal chancellery, swiss federal council, swiss confederation. 29 november 1998. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ end of 28-tonne limit . berne, switzerland: swiss federal archives sfa, swiss federal office of transport fot, swiss confederation. 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ bundesbeschluss über die genehmigung der sektoriellen abkommen zwischen der schweizerischen eidgenossenschaft einerseits und der europäischen gemeinschaft sowie gegebenenfalls ihrer mitgliedstaaten oder der europäischen atomgemeinschaft andererseits – chronologie (in german, french, , italian). berne, switzerland: swiss federal chancellery, swiss federal council, swiss confederation. 1 july 2002. retrieved 18 june 2016. 
^ yes ceneri base tunnel . berne, switzerland: swiss federal archives sfa, swiss federal office of transport fot, swiss confederation. 2016. retrieved 18 june 2016. federal councilor moritz leuenberger: «this way make railway flat line between basel , chiasso.»