Northern approach to the Gotthard Base Tunnel

The northern access road project comprised the open railroad line between Altdorf and Erstfeld, including all the necessary engineering structures. This included 6 underpasses up to 75 meters long, 5 bridge structures with spans of up to 21 meters as well as several culverts and retaining walls. The biggest challenge was embedding the large structure in the limited, intensively used space in the Reuss valley in Uri. Railroad operations on the adjacent main line had to be maintained during the construction period. Around 2.3 million tons of construction material had to be temporarily stored and staged in the limited space available. The ecological requirements were just as demanding. The natural soil was carefully removed and temporarily stored. Alternative habitats for rare species were created during the construction period and bodies of water were renaturalized. Artificial structures allow small animals to cross the route safely.