Long-term diversions and road closures on the road to the Aegeris

The 381 cantonal road, which connects Unteraegeri and Oberägeri with the valley communities, urgently needs to be renovated between Nidfuren and Schmittli. The necessary work will include the expansion of the cantonal road by adding two cycle lanes from Nidfuren to Schmittli, as well as the construction and renovation of numerous engineering structures.. The central element is the new construction of the Brügglitobel bridge.

The preliminary work for the renovation of the section of road between Nidfuren and Schmittli is on schedule in terms of quality, time and finances, and the main work on the major project will begin in January 2022.

Challenging geological problems
The renovation of the Nidfuren-Schmittli section is a major project for several reasons, explains Florian Weber, Director of Construction.  The geology of the section is extremely challenging, which is why a full road closure is the optimal solution. Large-scale diversions and extensive preparatory work will thereby be necessary. "We have already renovated the Allenwinden village road and the Cholrain road, which will ensure the traffic connection to and from the Aegeri valley," saysFlorian Weber. "And thanks to optimised planning, we will be able to complete the main works in one and a half years from next January - and thereby much faster than originally calculated."

The entire project will cost about CHF 40 million. If the timetable can be maintained, it should be possible to reopen to traffic as early as mid-2023.

Road works already underway
During the site inspection of the Nidfuren - Schmittli project, project manager Niklaus Studer (left) shows construction director Florian Weber the location and dimensions of the new Nidfuren roundabout.
Traffic routing

The preliminary work is on schedule
Project manager Niklaus Studer says that the preliminary work at the Nidfuren and Schmittli junctions is already well advanced and on schedule in terms of quality, time and costs, and that the junctions will thereby be partially completed by the start of the main works in January 2022. A roundabout and two new bus stops are being built In Nidfuren, while the Schmittli junction will be upgraded, the existing bus stops will be expanded and the pedestrian routing will be made safer. "The pavement at the Edlibach junction will also be replaced, and a temporary traffic light system will be installed due to the change in traffic load," adds Studer.

Safer junctions
"I am confident that the planned large-scale diversion concept will work, and will only result in minor increases in travelling time, but no traffic jams," Florian Weber adds "The construction department would, of course, react immediately if optimisations became necessary." Construction director Weber has already dealt with the large-scale project as a cantonal councillor, and sees certain advantages in it. "The renovation will greatly benefit bicycle traffic . This is because the road will have bicycle lanes both uphill and downhill. And because of the Nidfuren roundabout, traffic there will be smoother and safer."

The Schmittli junction will also become much less dangerous, emphasises Weber, adding: "The bus stops will all be adapted for disabled passengers."

Construction with full road closure
As the renovation between the Nidfuren and Schmittli junctions is being carried out with a full closure of the road section, traffic will be diverted onto two routes from January 2022 to around summer 2023.  From Zug, you can then get to the Aegeri Valley via Allenwinden, where the express bus will also  run during the diversion phase. Traffic from Ägeri to Zug will be routed via Cholrainstrasse to Zug via Edlibach during the full closure of the above-mentioned road section.

Traffic routing
The diversion concept for the extension of the section between Nidfuren and Schmittli envisages diverting traffic uphill via Allenwinden and downhill via Cholrain-Edlibach. In this way, the construction work can be carried out in the shortest possible time without causing excessive inconvenience to the local population, and the accessibility of the surrounding communities remains guaranteed. Travel time losses will be minimal. This is particularly important for public transport and for the emergency services.