Changes to the Gotthard Federal Council takes immediate measures due to destroyed A13
The destroyed A13 is threatening to cause a collapse in north-south traffic. The Federal Council is therefore taking measures, as it announced on Tuesday.
Following the closure of the A13 in Misox, Transport Minister Albert Rösti wants to manage vacation traffic in the summer as well as possible. The usual night-time closures of the Gotthard tunnel are to be discontinued, as the Minister of Transport announced.
In addition, transport ministers abroad will be informed so that they can ask their compatriots to avoid Switzerland on their way south. Travelers heading south and north will be informed well in advance and should avoid Switzerland as much as possible. This is done, for example, by directing traffic in the respective traffic centers of the countries.
SBB is offering additional north-south connections at the weekend. From Thursday to Sunday, capacity will be increased for travelers heading south and north.
No Gotthard toll
Rösti and Jürg Röthlisberger, head of the Federal Roads Office (Astra), provided information on the next steps at a media conference in Bern on Tuesday.
Everyone can do their bit by switching to public transport, emphasized Rösti during his appearance at the Bernerhof. There will also be more capacity for freight transport.
He rejected a general lifting of the ban on trucks driving on Sundays and at night: "Otherwise we would really attract traffic". However, Astra is looking into lifting the ban at certain times.
A toll through the Gotthard is also out of the question. In Ticino, for example, a toll would meet with rejection: they would feel cut off from the rest of Switzerland. Moreover, to have a real impact, the toll would have to be "disproportionately high", according to Rösti.
During a storm on Friday evening, the River Moesa washed out and partially tore away the A13 national road near Lostallo GR. The San Bernardino route has been closed ever since. Repair work began on Monday.
Read the media conference in the ticker
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11 a.m.
Media conference ended
That concludes the media conference. A detailed summary will follow here shortly.
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10.58 a.m.
SBB increases capacity
In future, SBB will increase capacity over the weekend, says Rösti. From Thursday to Sunday, capacity will be increased for southbound and northbound travelers.
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10.53 a.m.
Communication with foreign countries
Communication with neighboring countries will be handled by the FDFA. Travelers heading south and north should be informed well in advance and avoid Switzerland as far as possible. This is done, for example, by directing traffic in the respective traffic centers of the countries.
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10.48 a.m.
No Gotthard toll
Astra boss Röthlisberger says that the possibility of a toll has also been examined due to the closed A13. However, they do not want to implement this. Rösti adds that talks have also been held with Ticino. A toll would meet with rejection there: they would feel cut off from the rest of Switzerland. Moreover, in order to have a real impact, the toll would have to be "disproportionately high". That is why there is no toll.
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10.47 a.m.
Night-time driving ban remains in place
Rösti says that the ban on freight traffic will remain in place. However, a temporary suspension is currently being examined in order to defuse the situation.
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10.43 a.m.
No closure nights at the Gotthard
Normally, the Gotthard tunnel is repeatedly closed through the night to carry out maintenance work. These nights will be abolished with immediate effect, says Rösti. The Gotthard tunnel will no longer be closed as planned. In addition, the transport ministers abroad will be informed so that they can ask their compatriots to avoid Switzerland on their way south.
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10.41 a.m.
Timetable
It will take around a week before the Moesa river can be returned to its usual course. Then the first work on the track could begin. "We are currently assuming that we will be able to reopen a two-lane carriageway in July," says Rösti, pointing out that this is not binding.
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10.38 a.m.
"Finding a solution quickly"
The aim is to find a solution as quickly as possible in order to reduce the capacity bottlenecks as quickly as possible, says Rösti. He is in contact with the affected governments of the cantons of Graubünden and Ticino. Work had already begun on Monday.
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10.34 a.m.
Rösti speaks
Rösti now provides information on the current status of the A13. First, he expresses his condolences to the families of the victims in Misox on behalf of the entire Federal Council. At the same time, he says: "We were extremely lucky on the A13 that a car with 50 people was not affected."
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10.20 a.m.
Federal Council informed
The A13 will remain closed for weeks after the storms. Federal Councillor Albert Rösti and Astra Director Jürg Röthlisberger provide information about the situation and further work at 10.30 a.m. blue News is ticking and streaming the Point de Presse live.
With material from Keystone-SDA
SDA