Switzerland plans to double the length of motorway sections where speed can be cut to 80km/h during heavy traffic, reported Blick. The Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) says almost 2,200km will eventually be equipped with electronic signs to lower limits temporarily, up from around 1,000km today.
Officials argue that easing off the accelerator keeps traffic flowing. Our studies show that temporarily reducing speed when roads are overloaded helps the flow, says Lorenzo Quolantoni, FEDRO spokesman.
Similar systems are already in place on some Swiss motorways. Not everyone is convinced. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) describes the plan as the sneaky introduction of a permanent 80km/h cap. Some road-lobby groups dismiss the scheme as pointless, urging the government instead to build new lanes. Voters last year rejected just that, voting down a proposal to widen motorways.
FEDRO is also experimenting with other traffic-management tricks, such as opening emergency lanes, installing traffic lights on ramps and banning overtaking.
The idea is not new. Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, America and Japan all use variable speed limits or metered entry to motorways. Evidence suggests they can smooth traffic, cut crashes and, paradoxically, increase throughput. But they work only when roads are near capacity—not once gridlock has set in. And many drivers resent the slower pace, even when it gets them home sooner.
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