Now in the stream How Federal Councillor Rösti justifies the highway expansion
In around 6 weeks, the Swiss population will vote on the planned highway expansion. Transport Minister Rösti presents the government's arguments on Thursday. The media conference in the stream.
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- The Federal Council wants to relieve the Swiss highway network.
- On Thursday, Transport Minister Albert Rösti will present the Federal Council's arguments.
- You can follow the media conference in Bern in the stream from 1 pm.
The Swiss freeway network, which is chronically overloaded at critical points, is to be expanded at a cost of CHF 4.9 billion, thus relieving towns and villages of traffic jams. These are the Federal Council's arguments for voting yes to the highway expansion.
The vote will take place on November 24. Six projects are at stake - five in German-speaking Switzerland and one on Lake Geneva. Transport Minister Albert Rösti explains to the media in Bern on Thursday why the Federal Council believes the expansion projects are necessary.
"Avoidance traffic belongs back on the highway. In the affected regions, people should be able to cross the road safely, cycle and go to school," Rösti was quoted as saying in a communiqué. People who drive to work should be able to reach their place of work on time.
An alliance led by the Swiss Transport Club and the Umverkehr organization is fighting the bill with a referendum. The proponents argue that mobility needs infrastructure on the roads and railways.