Expansion programme for the national highways

On 24 November 2024, the people of Switzerland will vote on the Federal Decree on the 2023 expansion programme for the national highways.

In brief

The general public and businesses rely on modern and efficient transport infrastructure. This is why the federal government invests constantly in the rail and road network. Traffic on the national highways has more than doubled since 1990, bringing regular congestion at various points. To avoid it, lorries and cars often make use of roads that run through villages and residential areas. This reduces safety and quality of life for local communities. The federal government and cantons have a mandate to take measures against this, which includes eliminating bottlenecks in the national highway network by upgrading infrastructure at specific points.

With the 2023 expansion phase, the Federal Council and Parliament aim to eliminate bottlenecks on the following six sections:
- The A1 between Le Vengeron and Nyon
- The A1 between Bern-Wankdorf and Schönbühl
- The A1 between Schönbühl and Kirchberg
- The A2 near Basel (new Rhine tunnel)
- The A4 near Schaffhausen (2nd tube of the Fäsenstaub tunnel)
- The A1 near St Gallen (3rd tube of the Rosenberg Tunnel)

CHF 4.9 billion has been earmarked for these projects, which will be funded from the National Highways and Urban Transport Fund. The authorisation procedure remains unchanged: members of the public, communes or associations that are directly affected can comment on the individual projects and, if necessary, file an appeal in court. A referendum on the 2023 expansion programme has been requested, which is why we are voting on it.

Everything you need to know about voting in Switzerland on www.ch.ch