Zurich has published the first annual progress report on the voter mandate to reallocate and green street space. Between May 2025 and April 2026, the city reached 33.3 percent of its greening target and 8.3 percent of its target for walking, cycling and public transport. The figures are the first measure of progress towards a mandate that covers more than 600,000 m² of street space by 2035.
What voters decided
On 22 September 2024, voters approved the counter-proposals to the “Zukunfts-Initiative” for future-proof mobility and the “Gute-Luft-Initiative” for a healthy urban climate, with 62 and 66 percent yes votes respectively. The city was given ten years to convert 462,000 m² of street space in favour of walking, cycling and public transport, and to green a further 145,000 m² or plant trees on it. The ten-year period began on 1 May 2025 with the corresponding amendment to the municipal code.
First-year results
In the first reporting year, green space in public areas grew by 48,311 m² and space for walking, cycling and public transport by 38,304 m².
| Target | Mandate | Added May 2025 to April 2026 | Share reached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greening | 145,000 m² | 48,311 m² | 33.3% |
| Walking, cycling, public transport | 462,000 m² | 38,304 m² | 8.3% |
The Schwamendingen enclosure with the Ueberlandpark, completed in 2025, contributed significantly to the result. A new section of the Altstetten–main station priority cycle route, implemented in early 2026, also made an important contribution.
Risks and next steps
City councillor Simone Brander, who is responsible for the mandate, said the good start should not hide the fact that the task remains demanding. She named possible legal appeals as the main uncertainty, saying such proceedings can delay projects for years, and pointed to large uncertainties from pending cantonal approvals. She nevertheless said she is optimistic that the targets can be reached by 2035.
Several projects are planned or already under way:
- Winzerhalde, Höngg: 45 additional trees, new unsealed surfaces and an encounter zone; to be completed soon.
- Scheuchzerstrasse: pedestrian improvements, a priority cycle route, unsealed green areas and sixty additional trees; to be completed at the end of 2027.
- In planning: a new encounter zone in Grünauring and the redesign of Neue Hard and Geroldstrasse.
The city will report on implementation every year, with the civil engineering office (Tiefbauamt) publishing the status on a dedicated website.