Milestone reached in Swiss Gotthard tunnel extension

Milestone for the construction of the second tube through the Gotthard Keystone-SDA

Two large tunnel boring machines have begun excavating the second corridor of the Gotthard road tunnel.

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Swiss transport minister Albert Rösti hailed the development as “a milestone for Switzerland”s most important north-south link”.

On FRiday, Rösti spoke at the launch ceremony for the Paulina tunnel boring machine in Airolo. Paulina is 150 metres long and has a drill head with a diameter of over 12 metres.

“The impressive tunnel boring machine that is being used here is a symbol of innovation and technical excellence,” said Rösti.

+ Read more: why is the Gotthard Base Tunnel so important?

In the afternoon, the program in Göschenen included the inauguration ceremony for the machine, which bores its way through the Gotthard from the north. The two machines were manufactured in Germany and have been assembled on site since last summer.

The 17-kilometre-long tunnel should be excavated by 2027. It is due to be completed in 2030 and will initially be operated with two-way traffic for three years so that the first tunnel, opened in 1980, can be renovated. Later, traffic will be routed through the two tunnels in a single lane.

Political foresight

The construction of the second tunnel tunnel was approved by voters in 2016. According to the text of his speech, Rösti praised this decision “as a sign of political foresight”. Without the second tunnel, Ticino would have been isolated.

Construction work on the second tunnel had already begun in 2020 with preparatory work. Facilities were also built so that the large quantities of rock that are excavated from the Gotthard can be processed.

Some of the excavated material will be used in Airolo to cover the freeway and thus improve the valley floor, which is dominated by traffic, while some will be poured into Lake Uri for renaturation measures. In addition, excavated material is processed into concrete on site and used for tunnel construction.

Translated from German with DeepL/mga

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