[Luki_SL]

^^Any reason?

 

[ChrisZwolle]

It was part of the renumbering of the national road network that was introduced this year.

More info here: Die neuen Nationalstrassen

 

[belerophon]

A53 has been changed to A15:

Photo by Marcel.

Only the northern part to Uster? Why?

 

[ChrisZwolle]

The whole A53 has been renumbered to A15.

I believe the idea was that the A5x series was reserved for cantonal motorways.

 

[Coccodrillo]

Swiss road numbering has no logic. Most roads don't have a publicly known number, many but still a minority have a number which can be found on public documents (and that someone added to OpenStreetMap) but not on signs or anywhere along the road, and just some main roads and motorways have a number used on signs and with the public (on traffic annoucements etc). A5x seems to have been reserved for Zürich cantonal motorways, while other cantonal motorways have a (usually not clearly defined) number in another range.

 

[Suburbanist]

Who pays for the road train shuttles (Lötschberg, Fürka, Albula, Vareina, Oberalp)? The confederation or the canton(s) involved?

 

[Coccodrillo]

It varies.

• Simplon: subsidy from Valais-Wallis
• Lötschberg: the service covers its running costs, the railway opened in 1913
• Simplon+Lötschberg: it is likely paid by the BLS; like the Lötschberg service alone
• Furka: federal government
• Oberalp: federal government
• Vereina: the service covers its running costs, the railway opened in 1999 was financed in other ways and has not to be repaid
• Gotthard (ceased in 1980 and 2001) and Albula (closed in 2001): I don't know, they likely covered their costs

The source about Furka and Oberalp shuttles says that the federal government finances them according to the rules for subsidies for regional trains and buses, without citing the cantons. However, rules for regional trains and buses are that there is also a cantonal contribution for them, which is related to how financially strong the canton is (Graubünden pays less, in %, for its buses than canton Zürich). So there is likely also a cantonal contribution for these two lines, but lower in % than the Simplon (where 100% of subsidies are paid by Valais-Wallis).

Source: Carico degli autoveicoli

 

[ChrisZwolle]

The temporary Sigirino exit on A2 north of Lugano will become a permanent exit. It was originally built as a temporary exit for the AlpTransit construction traffic, but will now be redesigned as a full interchange. It's on a 12 kilometer stretch of A2 between Monte Ceneri and Lugano that originally had no exit but the valley is relatively densely settled. Construction will start in 2024 and take around three years.

Grünes Licht für neuen Anschluss Sigirino

www.astra.admin.ch

 

[Coccodrillo]

It will be a completely new interchange, not an adaptation of the existing one. On that stretch 4 tunnels might also be built, each between 200 and 800 metres, by covering the road where it is now. A side effect of them is a new dump for building waste (demolished buildings, etc). When I saw some plans on a public presentation (no way to take photos) it seemed that at least one of the ramps of this junction will be in one of the four tunnels (maybe as a separate bore).

I used the temporary junction once, as well as the one on Lugano north branch (Swiss Geoportal). It was when AlpTransit made possible a visit with a round trip by bus in the southern half of the new rail tunnel, with the return part on the A2.

Another half-junction (only to/from the south) will be built here between Bellinzona north and south: Swiss Geoportal

I saw the new <24> red diamond on signs leading to the Mendrisio-Stabio autostrasse.

 

[ChrisZwolle]

Some more renumberings are appearing in the field.

A51 to Zürich Airport is now A11 on the kilometer markers (but not yet on the signs).

Photos by Marcel.

 

[ChrisZwolle]

11 June 1955: The Luzern - Horw segment of what would later become A2 opened to traffic. 65 years ago today. It is regarded as the first motorway of Switzerland.

Gemeinde Horw - Autobahn A2/6: 1955

Auf dieser Seite finden Sie alles Wissenswerte zu unserer Gemeinde. Ausserdem können Sie am Online Schalter Dienstleistungen in Anspruch nehmen.

www.horw.ch

 

[Corvinus]

Took these photos as an example of a dual carriageway section which is not an expressway: Road 8 from Biberbrugg to Schindellegi.
The general extraurban speed limit of 80 km/h applies. Slow vehicles are allowed, notably there are bicycle lanes on both sides.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. The fun ends after only about 5 km, at the roundabout ahead of this underpass. Road 8 continues as simple 2 x 1 to Pfäffikon and Rapperswil.

 

[g.spinoza]

^^ Is vignette needed also for those?

 

[ChrisZwolle]

Oof, from a Dutch perspective such bike lanes are a terrible idea.

 

[Corvinus]

^^ Is vignette needed also for those?

No, to my knowledge, as long as it is a cantonal road (white no. in blue rectangular shield), no toll sticker (vignette) is required - as opposed to most national roads (Nationalstrassen), which are mostly motorways and expressways (numbered with red hexagonal shields, resembling German motorway numbers).

 

[Suburbanist]

Cycling in those fast lanes is borderline reckless, and outright so at night or with rain. I wonder how many people other than road cycling leisure or sport groups actually use such lanes: too narrow, and exceedingly dangerous for the slight mistake on part of drivers or cyclists, especially on truck X bike interactions.

 

[ChrisZwolle]

The Gotthard Tunnel has congestion again.

 

[Corvinus]

Swiss authorities predict a significantly higher-than-average number of Swiss people spending their Summer vacation this year inside the country, given the uncertainties around international travel. This also means more of them will be going to Ticino, the country's "sunny parlor".
Add the Italians who will be travelling back and forth as much as it is allowed to, and there goes the traffic ...

 

[ChrisZwolle]

Ticino offers things similar to Northern Italy, especially the lakes and mountain scenery. I can imagine it will be busy. I've only stayed overnight in Ticino during one vacation, on a campsite near Mendrisio. My impression was that Ticino is rather crowded and likely to be booked solid during high season, compared to other parts of Switzerland.

From a Dutch perspective, Switzerland is considered to be 'very pricey' and most people go to Italy (to stay in a € 150 - 200/night mobile home at one of the lakes... )

 

[Suburbanist]

Ticino has some quieter valleys. I traveled to Lugano the day after internal "non-essential" travel had no counter-recommendation: the city was full. I saw Ticino tourist advertisements in several places here in Zürich these past 10 days.