Storms and traffic - Record speed: A13 Alpine highway to be open as early as Friday
Through a day-and-night effort, the repair works on the Swiss Alpine highway A13 on the Bernardino-Route have progressed at record speed. The Federal Roads Office is pursuing an opening as early as this Friday and will provide further information about this in the coming hours. Traffic will initially run with a speed restriction in both directions.
This section is an important North-South connection and is particularly important for holiday traffic, as another connection over the Alps, over the Simplon Pass, is currently closed due to a landslide.
A 200-meter long section of A13 was carried away by the water masses of the river Moesa during heavy rain on June 21st. Initially, the Federal Roads Office had planned to reopen it on July 10th.
Why it all went faster than expected
Several factors contributed to the quick build-up, reported the newspaper "Blick": The water of the Moesa receded faster than expected and there were no new heavy rainfalls. Additionally, the debris that had been brought down from the mountain by the water was used for the construction of the road - and they worked day and night.
The unexpectedly quick recession of the Moesa's water masses significantly aided the repair work, allowing it to progress at a record speed. The rapid absence of subsequent heavy rainfall further facilitated the restoration process. The debris carried down by the water from the mountains served as an unexpected resource for constructing the repaired roads. The ongoing day-and-night efforts by the workers also played a crucial role in accelerating the repair work. Despite the storm-damaged roads in Switzerland, the Alpine traffic was able to continue, albeit with speed restrictions, thanks to the swift repair work on A13.
