SVP, FDP and Mitte demand major highway expansion over rail focus
A coalition of SVP, FDP and Mitte politicians urged the federal government to shift funding toward highway construction, criticizing Transport Minister Albert Rösti’s rail-heavy plan.
A group of centre-right lawmakers and industry representatives confronted the media to demand that the federal transport plan be rebalanced toward road infrastructure. They contend that Albert Rösti’s budget allocates roughly 24 billion francs to rail projects and about 13 billion to roads, a disparity they view as out of step with the surge in traffic jams, which the Federal Roads Office reports have more than doubled since 2019.
The coalition cites specific highway choke points - Wallisellen-Brüttisellen, Lugano Sud-Mendrisio, La Blécherette and Crissier - and calls for the revival of the third tube of the St. Gallen Rosenberg tunnel despite its 2024 public rejection. They argue that the National Road Fund can finance the upgrades and warn that continued congestion threatens economic competitiveness. The critics also note that rail expansion plans prioritize passenger services and leave freight capacity insufficient, prompting the freight-industry association VAP to request additional funding for freight-friendly track upgrades.
Why it matters
Highway congestion affects commuters and businesses, and the funding debate could reshape Switzerland’s transport priorities.
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