MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –
Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Grisons in Italian
The Government has started the procedures for the master plan for the ring roads of Sta. Maria in Val Müstair and Susch in the Lower Engadine as well as for the correction of the Maloja road between Silvaplana and Plaun da Lej in the Upper Engadine. In doing so, an important step was taken for road construction projects.
In recent years, the Graubünden Technical Office (UT) has worked intensively on the planning of the Sta. Maria ring road in Val Müstair, the Susch ring road in the Lower Engadine and the road correction between Silvaplana and Plaun da Lej in the Upper Engadine. In the meantime, the works have advanced to the point that the Government has instructed the Cantonal Office for Territorial Development (UST-GR) to start adapting the master plan for road construction projects. «I am pleased that we were able to start the procedure for the master plan for the Sta. Maria and Susch ring roads as well as for two major projects along the Maloja road. This is an important step for the regions concerned” declared State Councilor Carmelia Maissen, director of the Infrastructure, Energy and Mobility Department.
In order for the canton to present a specific construction project, an entry with the coordination status “purchase data” must be included in the cantonal master plan for each road construction project. The coordination status “purchase data” is only awarded if it is clearly demonstrated on the basis of an extensive study of the variants why the recommended variant is the most appropriate and if its impact has been analyzed in depth. The master plan procedure lasts between one and a half and two years, as it is subject to approval by the Confederation.
According to the current state of planning it is not possible to determine which of the major projects will be implemented first. This requires further extensive planning work and the associated necessary procedural steps.
The projects in detail
Forno pass road, Sta. Maria Val Müstair ring roadTo relieve the core of Sta. Maria from the high volume of traffic that travels along the Forno pass road and to increase traffic safety, after the conclusion of an extensive study of the variants in 2023 two variants were taken into consideration: the “southern ring road” and the “northern ring road”. In their expert opinion from February 2023, the Federal Commission for Nature and Landscape Protection (CFNP) and the Federal Commission for Historical Monuments (CFMS) came to the conclusion that both variants would cause serious harm to the ISOS (Swiss Settlement Inventory). to be protected) as well as for the IVS (Inventory of historic communication routes in Switzerland) (see press release dated 02.28.2023). They recommended a solution that involves crossing the village managed via traffic lights or the construction of a tunnel with traditional excavation and with the two portals which should, as far as possible, be built outside the characteristic site.
The Technical Office subsequently collected the recommendations of the federal commissions and commissioned an additional variant study. From this study it emerged that the two new variants involving a tunnel with traditional excavation would bring approximately the same benefits as the “northern ring road” envisaged by the original variant. The two new variants involving the tunnel with traditional excavation are better in terms of compromising national protection interests, however they are not economically justifiable, given that the costs would significantly exceed those for the variants taken into consideration previously. After an in-depth check, the Government came to the conclusion that it is necessary to pursue the original variant, i.e. the “northern ring road” (see figure 1). The project costs amount to approximately 47 million francs.
Engadine Road, Susch ring roadToday the Engadine Road passes through the historic core of Susch. On peak days in winter and summer the hamlet of Susch in the municipality of Zernez is exposed to a relatively intense volume of traffic. The ring road aims to relieve the core from the high volume of traffic. An eastern and western variant had already been discussed in the 1990s, but the then municipality of Susch and the canton were unable to agree on a variant.
In recent years the technical office has worked intensely on the study of variants. Of the 19 variants in total, six were subjected to more in-depth testing. From this verification it emerged that the eastern variants must be evaluated critically especially with regard to the “nature and landscape” criterion. For this reason, in determining the most appropriate variant, we focused on the western variants. For registration in the master plan, two variants are pursued (see figures 2 and 3), which differ only in the length of the tunnel. The definitive length of the gallery will be established in the framework of the exhibition project which will follow the procedure for the master plan. The project costs amount to around 80 million francs.
Correction of the Maloja road, Silvaplana – Plaun da Lej sectionThe Maloja road is the only road connection between the Upper Engadine and Bregaglia and is an important communication route that connects Italy and the Engadine through Chiavenna. The stretch between the Sils Föglias junction and Plaun da Lej is threatened by natural dangers in both summer and winter. Punctual protective measures certainly increase safety, but they cannot always prevent a road closure. Already in 2021, a general project was developed which included a tunnel with traditional excavation in order to increase safety on this road section (see press release dated 03.19.2021). Based on the positions of the CFNP as well as cantonal and national environmental organizations, the UT further developed this variant and extended the tunnel in the direction of Plaun da Lej to a total length of 2.7 kilometers (see figure 4). . With the new route, the existing road could be used as an attractive connection for non-motorized traffic.
Between the Sils Föglias ring road and the Silvaplana roundabout, the Maloja road is in poor condition (see figure 5). Furthermore, being five-six meters wide, it no longer meets today’s traffic safety requirements. The interventions on the approximately two kilometer long stretch include several widening of curves and a cycle lane in each direction. The new route will essentially follow the route of the current road. The costs of the two projects amount to approximately 310 million francs.
Attachments:
Contact persons:
State Councilor Dr. Carmelia Maissen, director of the Infrastructure, Energy and Mobility Department, tel. 41 81 257 36 05 (reachable between 10:00 and 12:00), e-mailCarmelia.Maissen@diem.gr.ch
Reto Knuchel, cantonal engineer, Technical Office, tel. 41 81 257 37 01 (reachable between 11:00 and 12:00), e-mailReto.Knuchel@tba.gr.ch
Competent body: Government
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
