A1 expansion begins: 1.06 billion francs for less traffic jams by 2032!

A1 expansion begins: 1.06 billion francs for less traffic jams by 2032!

Construction work on the six-lane expansion of the A1 between Luterbach and Härkingen officially began on May 23, 2025. This was celebrated with a symbolic handover of the ignition key by Guido Biaggio, deputy director of the Federal Roads Office (Astra). The project plans to expand the motorway section by an additional strip in both directions over a length of around 22 kilometers. In total, the construction work will take around eight years, with completion by 2032. The total costs amount to around 1.06 billion francs, as plattformj.ch reports.

The expansion is primarily intended to eliminate ongoing traffic jams and improve traffic flow. The section currently sees around 93,000 vehicles per day and this number is forecast to increase to around 113,000 by 2030. Comprehensive measures are required to cope with the increasing traffic. The [ASTRA](https://www.astra.admin.ch/astra/de/home/themen/nationalstrassen/baustellen/zentral-nordwestschweiz/a1-luterbach_haerkingen-6- stripe-ausbau.html) has justified that the section due for renovation is already over 50 years old and no longer meets modern legal requirements with regard to noise and water protection.

Planned measures and traffic safety

In order to ensure that the construction work is carried out safely, the construction site remains accessible in both directions as a two-lane road with a speed limit of 80 km/h. A coordinated system of metering systems is intended to prevent alternative traffic through the surrounding communities. In addition, a task force will be set up to monitor traffic developments throughout the construction period. The canton of Bern is also planning diversions, speed reductions and a traffic service to channel traffic.

The traffic changes for the next construction phases will affect both the north and south directions. When working at night from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., only one lane is available at a time. Additional night shifts are planned for June 3rd to 5th for work in bad weather. Due to the construction work, light emissions and occasional noise emissions are unavoidable.

Congestion development and infrastructural necessity

The need for expansion is also underscored by the significant number of traffic jams. According to ASTAG there was a negative record of 48,807 traffic jam hours in 2023, which represents an increase of 22.4 percent compared to previous years. This situation has a direct impact on the economy, businesses and population, resulting in delayed deliveries and increased operating costs.

In order to meet these challenges, the modernization of national roads is considered essential. ASTRA supports measures such as the use of hard shoulders and temporary speed reductions to minimize traffic jams. Nevertheless, it is emphasized that an efficient and expanded national road network is necessary to sustainably improve the traffic situation.