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A blessing for many, a curse for a few - How the Oberau business people rate the new bypass tunnel

2022-05-25T05:47:54.369Z


A blessing for many, a curse for a few - How the Oberau business people rate the new bypass tunnel Created: 05/25/2022, 07:30 By: Catherine Brumbauer Relaxed expression: The Oberau restaurateur and antiquarian Robert Schotten looks positively at the tunnel opening. For him, the relief factor for the community prevails. © Peter Kornatz The time has come: the Oberau bypass tunnel will be opened


A blessing for many, a curse for a few - How the Oberau business people rate the new bypass tunnel

Created: 05/25/2022, 07:30

By: Catherine Brumbauer

Relaxed expression: The Oberau restaurateur and antiquarian Robert Schotten looks positively at the tunnel opening.

For him, the relief factor for the community prevails.

© Peter Kornatz

The time has come: the Oberau bypass tunnel will be opened to traffic on Thursday, May 26th.

What does this mean for local entrepreneurs if fewer cars and trucks roll past their businesses in the future?

The business people see advantages and disadvantages of the mammoth project.

A site visit.

Oberau – Most cars drive past it.

Robert Schotten's "antique & modern" furniture store looks rather inconspicuous from the outside.

Anyone who walks up the ramp to the shop in the converted barn on Bundesstraße 2 in Oberau has no idea what a large area not only antiques, but also hand-made wooden tables, chairs and cupboards await them.

"I didn't have walk-in customers 30 years ago," emphasizes Schotten.

His clientele: people who know about the quality of his wooden furniture and who are specifically looking for a new piece of furniture.

“You can also look at furniture in the shop, otherwise shopping behavior has already changed a lot.

A lot is done online,” says Schotten.

The drivers who are regularly stuck in traffic on the B 2 in the town do not spontaneously pull over and look around.

The fact that the through traffic will decrease with the new bypass tunnel has no negative effects for the 73-year-old.

Rather, he emphasizes the aspect of relief.

"The tunnel is an enrichment for Oberau and the entire region."

He would also be for Schotten's catering business in the vicinity of the furniture store.

"Certainly," he thinks, the visitors sit more comfortably in his Postgarten when there are fewer cars on the through road directly in front of it.

He no longer has daily operations in the beer garden and in the adjoining restaurant.

Finding the staff to do this is difficult.

On request, companies and private individuals can organize their celebrations there.

"If something comes up, I might open it again every day," explains the restaurateur.

Daller-Tracht fears a drop in sales, a bike shop less visibility

However, there are companies for whom the tunnel and the reduction in through traffic are a disadvantage.

One of them: the Daller costume shop.

"We expect a financial cut," admits Managing Director Norbert Daller.

According to him, most of the turnover comes from travelers passing through Munich, who stock up on a dirndl or lederhosen on the way south.

Demand collapsed during the pandemic.

"Some traditional costume shops had to close," emphasizes Daller.

Now he fears that his Oberau branch will be less frequented after the opening of the tunnel.

However: "Many local regular customers have already promised to remain loyal to us."

Fritz Burda, managing director of the bike shop of the same name at the northern entrance to the town, is more critical of the bypass.

The store is not so dependent on walk-in customers.

If you have a problem with your bike, aim for it.

However, Burda fears that its suppliers will have to take a detour through the tunnel with their trucks.

And: "When the free advertising is gone, it makes you wistful when you see the many cars that drive past every day." In 2020, he and his father, the senior boss, relocated the Oberau location of their bike shop to the B 2.

"Now we lack the perspective in terms of advertising," emphasizes Burda junior.

Skeptical: Fritz Burda fears that with the bypass and the reduction in through traffic, his bike shop will become less visible.

© Peter Kornatz

There were “no suggestions whatsoever” from the federal Autobahn GmbH, which is responsible for the tunnel project, or from the municipality as to how the local shops in front of the tunnel, for example on posters, could be visible.

"That's a shame." However, the entrepreneur finds the relief for the town "great".

He rates the reduction in noise as positive.

"It's nice when it's not so noisy in front of the shop."

also read

"Two-class society" at the opening of the tunnel: Citizens not invited to the ceremony

"The simple life makes the spirit": The Oberreintalhütte is a magical place for climbers

Hopes for fewer traffic jams: the vegetable wholesaler Florian Maninger.

© Peter Kornatz

Florian Maninger, managing director of the fruit and vegetable wholesaler Maus, sees himself as a major beneficiary of the bypass.

Until now, Maninger was regularly stuck in traffic when driving to and from his company.

It doesn't matter whether he came back from the wholesale market in Munich in the morning or was on the road in a delivery van to his customers, around 200 hoteliers and restaurateurs in the district.

With the opening of the bypass, he hopes that this will no longer be the case.

Maninger notes: All travelers to the Ammertal first take the usual through road and turn off to the Ettaler Berg.

It will be a while before it is connected to the north portal of the tunnel.

The through traffic does not come to a complete standstill.

"I only see benefits.

Oberau has the chance to develop in a similar way to Farchant.

It could become a more rural village with better air again.”

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-05-25

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