Opponents of expansion want to strengthen public transport and cycling. However, they overlook the fact that the road is by far the most important mode of transportation, especially for goods supply.
The road is and remains by far the most significant mode of transportation.
Parts of the highways have not been flowing as they should for some time. Last year, the situation worsened: The government recorded 48,807 hours of traffic jams, with about two-thirds on the A 1, A 2, and A 3. Traffic congestion is no longer limited to the well-known bottlenecks at the North Ring, Bern Kriegstetten, or between Schönbühl and Kirchberg. Often, critical points on the routes to tourist regions are affected. Even on weekdays, traffic volume increases. On the A 2 at the Gotthard, the line of cars never completely dissipated for several weeks this summer.
A Small Share of Rail Despite Billions in Investment
It is true that without the railway, traffic jams would be even longer. For transporting large quantities of people and goods over long distances, the railway is the most efficient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Despite billions in investments, the rail only accounts for about 21% of traffic. The government expects this to increase to 24% by 2035, but given the investment, this is a modest goal.
It Takes Both Modes of Transportation
While the left opposes highway expansion for ideological reasons, the transport sector is pragmatic. They know that both modes of transportation are needed. This explains why the trucking association Astag generally supports the promotion of national rail freight transport. The government aims to subsidize this temporarily and promote the switch to digital automatic coupling. The Council of States approved the proposal in a modified form last fall.
The Limits of Expansion
The six expansions of the highway network are necessary to make current traffic flow more smoothly. However, they are not a miracle cure. The expected increase in traffic will eventually lead to new bottlenecks. In densely populated Switzerland, the above-ground expansion of highways is likely to reach its limits in the long term. Already, three out of six projects in the current proposal are costly tunnels. Problems will increase at the interfaces to the subordinate network in cities, as left-wing governments seek to further restrict road traffic. It is therefore necessary not only to have more concrete but also new approaches to keep traffic flowing smoothly.