The site of the SIHL load shedding tunnel, in the canton of Zurich, will exceptionally open its doors to the public next weekend (August 23-24). The success is dazzling: the 11,000 free tickets were snatched in record time.
The canton is the first surprised by this enthusiasm for this underground giant. This concrete tube is two kilometers long and more than six meters wide. The cost of this colossal project is estimated at 175 million francs. Its particularity? Grooves designed to curb water in an emergency.
>> Reread: The canton of Zurich builds a tunnel to prevent an overflow of the SIHL in case of heavy rain
This tunnel is not just a technical feat. It is above all a shield against floods. In the event of an extreme SIHL flood, it could prevent damage estimated at more than 6 billion francs in Zurich, notably protecting the central station.
![The load shedding gallery will reject the surplus of water in Lake Zurich. [19h30 de la RTS]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== "The load shedding gallery will reject the surplus of water in Lake Zurich. [19h30 de la RTS]")
“Work of the century”
The stake is crucial. In 1910, the SIHL had devastated a large part of the city. In 2005, Zurich had come close to a new disaster.
After the drilling at the end of 2024, the interior is sufficiently advanced to welcome the public, before the intensive resumption of the work, which should be completed in 2026.
This is the only opportunity to visit this “work of the century”, as the canton qualifies it. For security reasons, it will not be possible to welcome more visitors. The visit will only last 30 minutes.
Valentin Jordil/asch
