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© Keystone
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Local News Summary of September, 22nd

  • «Kulturstadt Jetzt» launches ideas for a lively cohabitation between residents and visitors at the Rhine
  • Polish delegation from Poznań visits Basel
  • More children born in August than in any month in the last 20 years
  • Traffic junction near Dreispitz partially closed on Sunday due to road works

«Kulturstadt Jetzt» launches ideas for a lively cohabitation between residents and visitors at the Rhine

The members of «Kulturstadt Jetzt» have launched three proposals relating to the banks of the Rhine which should make people happy during the next summer and beyond; for residents and visitors alike.

Life takes place more and more in the outdoors and the Rhine banks have become an important meeting point, living room, swimming pool, grill space, and pub in one go. «Kulturstadt Jetzt» welcomes this development while taking the needs of residents seriously. The lively riverbanks must remain open and comfortable for everyone.

Better distribution at the Rhine

After talking to residents who live near the river, representatives of «Kulturstadt Jetzt» discussed and put together several ideas for improving their lives when the summer months brings thousands of people who meet there to swim, party, and have barbecues. During these discussions it emerged that the riverbanks are mostly used between Dreirosenbrücke and Mittlere Brücke. An opening of the wider sections at both ends would enable additional possibilities for different usages and better distribution of people. More public grill stations could provide better conditions. Three members of «Kulturstadt Jetzt» have submitted their proposals to the parliament in the hope of triggering some development by next summer and beyond.

The proposals

  • Salome Hofer (Social Democrats) wants public electric grill stations in parks and at the riverbanks. Projects in other big cities have shown that smell and littering can be reduced.
  • Sebastian Kölliker (Social Democrats) wants the government to examine the opening of the Rhine board completely for pedestrians between Dreirosenbrücke and the harbour area.
  • Christian Moesch (Liberals) wants the Rhine banks at Schaffhauserrheinweg to be redesigned on the basis of a competition held in 2009, and in addition a project for the section at Oberer Rheinweg.

Polish delegation from Poznań visits Basel

A delegation from the Polish city of Poznań arrived yesterday for a two-day visit. Their programme includes an official reception in the Town Hall and discussions with the Office for Mobility and the Civil Engineering Office.

The delegation, consisting of 18 city councillors from Poznań, will today (Friday) be officially welcomed at the Town Hall by Joël Thüring, president of the Grand Council. The two-day visit includes a professional exchange with the Civil Engineering Office, and the Office for Mobility of the Construction and Traffic Department of the canton Basel-Stadt (BVD).

Poznań is located in central-Western Poland and is the fifth largest city in the country, with a population of 560'000 people. The city is an important location for industry, services, and trade.

More children born in August than in any month in the last 20 years

The population of the canton Basel-Stadt rose in August by 164 people compared to the previous month. The current growth is the result of 263 births, more than in any single month in the last 20 years.

Due to a low monthly death rate in August of 157 deaths, the birth surplus of 106 was relatively high.

The immigration/emigration figures were moderately positive with an increase of 12 people. Among Swiss citizens, the migration rate was once again negative (-142), with more people leaving the country than coming home, but for the first time since September 2016 there were more births than deaths (+33).

Among foreign citizens, both balances were positive. Due to late reported events (e.g. late registrations) the increase in births and the migration growth do not match with the growth of population at the end of August.

The population of Basel-Stadt has grown by 522 people since September 2016 which corresponds to a growth of 0.3%. Over the same period, 12,740 people moved to the canton and 12,803 left it which resulted in a negative migration of 63 people.

For Swiss citizens this resulted in a negative migration balance, and positive for foreign citizens. In the last twelve months, 2037 children were born while 2073 people died. A total of 775 foreign citizens gained Swiss citizenship. The number of Swiss citizens shrank in the last twelve months by 0.3% to 127,051 people, the number of foreign citizens increased by 1.3% to 71,419 people and thus form 36.0% of the entire population of the canton.

The communities of Basel and Riehen registered a population growth by 0.1% and 0.3% to 176,067 and 21,229 people, while the community of Bettingen lost 0.3% of the population to 1174 people. Since September 2016, in total 17,676 people moved house within the canton.

Traffic junction near Dreispitz partially closed on Sunday due to road works

A diversion will be in place at the Leimgrubenweg and Münchensteinerstrasse junction on Sunday due to a road surface being replaced.

The temporary route will divert traffic along Reinacherstrasse and Schwertrainstrasse, Bruderholzstrasse, and onto the H18. During the road works, road security for pedestrians and cyclists will be improved.

A team from the Civil Engineering Office has since August been working on a renewal project at the Leimgrubenweg/Münchensteinerstrasse junction.

The team is using the work as an opportunity to create an indirect left turn for cyclists from Münchensteinerstrasse going across the pedestrian footpath via a small traffic island with a traffic lights system.

For extra safety on Lyon Street, pedestrians will be able to use a crossing with a traffic light system. The associated work relating to the crossing has already finished.

Work to replace the road surface will especially be carried out overnight to reduce the effect on the traffic at one of the busiest junctions in Basel. Last night (Thursday) the civil engineering team scraped off the present road surface at the traffic hub. During the work it will be possible to drive through the crossing, although there will be restrictions.

The entire traffic hub at Dreispitz will be closed on Sunday, 24th September from midnight until Monday morning at 5am to allow workers to lay the fresh tarmac and mark out new lanes. A spacious diversion for traffic from and in the direction of Münchenstein will be marked out. Lyonstrasse and Brüglingerstrasse will become dead ends. The Leimgrubenweg/Walkeweg junction will remain open.

The bus lines 36, 37 as well as 47, and the tramlines 10 and 11 will run as normal. Cyclists are recommended to push their bikes for a short distance. There is no restriction for pedestrians.