Astra warns of traffic crash: Risk of traffic jams for hours during sports holidays

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Everyone goes skiing – but first everyone drives: Due to the upcoming sports holidays, the Federal Highway Office (Astra) warns of “long traffic jams” and “major traffic disruptions” on the way to winter sports resorts.

St. Sports holidays in St. Gallen start this weekend. Time in Bern came a week later, on February 3. School children in Zurich will be closed from February 10th. Despite the differences between cantons and municipalities: On the relevant dates, many families flock to the mountain regions to enjoy a ski holiday at the same time. This is not only causing a boom in hotel prices in winter sports areas, but is also stress-testing the Swiss transport network.

These highways are affected

Astra writes that the effects of holiday traffic will be felt on the A1, A2, A3, A6, A8, A9 and A13 motorways. This means: up and down the country. According to the information obtained, things will be critical on the routes to Bern Oberland and Valais, especially in the Bern region. Likewise on the A3 along Lake Walen and then on the A13 to Graubeğen.

In particular, Astra expects disruptions on the following motorways and route sections in the coming weeks:

• A1 Härkingen–Wangen aA
• A1/A6 in Bern
• A9 Lausanne area
• A2 Basel
• A2 Diegten – Härkingen
• A2/A14 Lucerne area (from Stans-Nord/return journey)
• A3 Walenstadt-Reichenburg
• A6 Bern-Thun
• A8 Brienz-Interlaken-Spiez
• A8 Sarnen – Lopper junction
• A9 Vevey–Martigny
• A12 Châtel-St-Denis–La Veyre / Vevey junction
• A13 Sarganserland-Rothenbrunnen
• A28 Landquart – Klosters

Astra calls on holidaymakers and those caught in traffic jams to stay on the highways despite the waiting times. Otherwise, unwanted alternative traffic will arise, which will put pressure on the towns along the highways and their residents. Astra warns that alternative traffic will “eventually lead to traffic collapse in areas.” “Local personal and business traffic, public transport (buses, post offices) and slow traffic on cantonal and municipal roads are hindered and the risk of accidents increases.”

Main roads and loading stations

But motorways are not enough: Astra also expects holiday-related traffic jams on various main roads, for example between Spiez BE and Kandersteg BE (outward journey), between Gampel VS and Goppenstein VS (return journey). Raron VS and Brig and on “various main roads in the Bernese Oberland, Graubsunu and Valais side valleys”.

Car loading stations are also a bottleneck. At Furka in Realp UR, Lötschberg in Kandersteg BE and Vereina in Kloster Selfranga GR, Astra expect waiting times between 8am and 4pm. On the return trip, traffic flows in the opposite direction at the loading stations later in the day (11:00 – 18:00).

You can avoid traffic congestion by using public transportation. But given the war on equipment that exists in winter sports, this is very boring for many people, especially those who travel with the whole family on sports holidays during school holidays.

Source :Blick