The widely used public transportation network in Karlsruhe necessitated creative solutions to make the congested city centre more appealing while retaining its character as a pedestrian zone in light of this, the city of Karlsruhe opted for the so-called combined solution in 2002, following a lengthy debate and a local referendum.
It includes the construction of a light-rail tunnel that runs from west to east under Kaiserstrasse with a southward branch towards Ettlinger Strasse at the Marktplatz station. This tunnels a portion of the city’s public rail traffic beneath the roadway. The Kaiserstrasse, Karlsruhe’s major shopping route, and the Marktplatz will be designated as pedestrian zones with no rails or trams.
The client is Karlsruher Schieneninfrastruktur-Gesellschaft mbH (KASIG).
Karlsruhe combined solution tunnel construction
The tunnel runs for 3.9 kilometres and has seven underground stations. The Milan construction method will be used, with an elevated back-anchored HPI base. There are four stations beneath Kaiserstrasse (Europaplatz, Lammstrasse, Kronenplatz, and Durlacher Tor) and three on the southern branch (Marktplatz, Ettlinger Tor, Kongresszentrum). To avoid crossing beneath buildings, the double-track route follows the axis of Kaiserstrasse.
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It runs south from Marktplatz through Karl-Friedrich-Strasse and Ettlinger Strasse. The centrepiece of the southern branch is the integrated construction inside of the Ettlinger Tor station, establishing the underground link with the Kriegsstrasse tunnel. The two axes are joined by a track triangle which is located under the Marktplatz and connects the Marktplatz and Lammstrasse stations. The underground rails are joined to the existing above-ground network by three ramps.
Control of the total project comprises control of the multiple transport modes, including the coordination of track reconstruction along the current portion, private traffic, pedestrian and rail traffic, tunnel construction, sewer and pipeline construction, and other issues. Because the entire construction project is located on the streets with the greatest frequency rates in Karlsruhe, the diverse demands of residents and retailers must also be considered.
