Car parks
In the run-up to Expo.02, the city authorities' predictions, which were picked up by the media, suggested considerable traffic problems in the Three Lakes Region and on the main access routes.
At the beginning of the planning phase, those responsible assumed a transport mix of 40 per cent private vehicles. In the course of further development, the transport concept underwent certain changes, particularly with regard to the size and shape of the infrastructure. For example, it was decided to build only one car park in Murten-Morat, Neuchâtel and Yverdon-les-Bains instead of the planned two. Only in Biel-Bienne were two car parks built under pressure from the city authorities. Due to low capacity utilisation, Expo.02 decided to close one of the two on 12.07.2002.
In retrospect, it turned out that the opposite was the case, as there were no traffic problems on national roads, and city traffic hardly changed at all and even decreased slightly.
Finally, the ratio of the chosen means of transport during Expo.02 was 30 per cent for private transport.
Shuttle journeys between the official car parks and the respective Arteplages were included in the car park price.
Car park charges
| Number of people in the vehicle | 1-3 | from 4 | ||
| Fees per day | CHF 30.00 | CHF 20.00 | ||
| Day ticket for all car parks on all Arteplages | CHF 40.00 | CHF 40.00 | ||
| Parking from 18:00 (without special evenings) | free of charge | free of charge | ||
| Parking from 18:00 (special evenings) | CHF 10.00 | CHF 10.00 |
Biel-Bienne
Biel West car park: Brügg
Biel East car park: Bözingenfeld
Basic offer: 3'500
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekdays: 4'200
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekends: 4'500
Murten-Morat
Car park Muntelier (Expodrom)
Car park Sugiez
Basic offer: 1'100
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekdays: 1’600
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekends: 2’100
Construction
Geotextiles, recycled gravel (from the demolition of the Wankdorf Bern football stadium), asphalt pavement
Neuchâtel
Car park Marin
Basic offer: 2'000
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekdays: 3’300
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekends: 3’300
Yverdon-les-Bains
Car park Chamard - Montagny
Basic offer: 1'200
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekdays: 1’900
Basic offer and overflow car parks on weekends: 2’400
Construction
Wooden gratings with geotextile and asphalt layer for the access roads.
A system of wooden gratings was used, which proved to be excellent. The ground became stable without being compacted. This meant that the area could be quickly returned to cultivation after Expo.02. The wooden mats can either be reused elsewhere - depending on the durability of the type of wood used - or subsequently utilised for energy purposes.
Timber construction
ECO Parking (New: Passareco AG), Biel-Bienne www.passareco.ch
Photos: © Andreas Mosimann: www.wegezumholz.de; © Intégral Ruedi Baur, Paris, France www.integral-designers.eu