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Gotthard traffic queue hits 20km during holiday weekend
The traffic jam at the Gotthard north portal reached a length of 20 kilometres on the motorway between canton Nidwalden and canton Uri on Saturday morning. Shortly after 9am, Travellers faced waiting times of more than three hours, according to auto group Touring Club Suisse (TCS).
There was no alternative route for motorists as the Gotthard road tunnel, was still closed due to the heavy snowfall and additional traffic queue on the southbound motorway, which is recommended as an alternative route.
On almost all southbound motorway roads, travellers had to expect considerable waiting times.
The Gotthard road tunnel, opened in 1980, regularly sees long traffic tailbacks at peak travel times. In February 2016, Swiss voters gave the go-ahead to build a second road tunnel, to allow for renovations of the existing infrastructure and ensure better connections between north and south. Construction began in 2021. The second tunnel is not expected to open until at least 2029.
Adapted from German by DeepL/amva
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