A16 motorway (Switzerland)
Encyclopedia
The A16, a motorway in north-central Switzerland
, is a divided freeway connecting the border to France
to the A5 motorway
, 84 kilometres (52.2 mi) to the south on the Swiss plateau
.
The A16 motorway is a long, winding corridor that crosses the Jura Mountains
from the Canton of Jura
through part of the Bernese Jura
area, to the flat part of the canton
of Berne
on the Swiss plateau
. Therefore it is called Transjurane. It is congruent with the National Highway N16 and following its anticipated completion around 2020-2030, it will connect the French motorway network with the rest of the Swiss national road network. The extension provides for both four-lane standard (highway
) and two-lane sections of "express roads" (Autostrasse). At present (2008), there are approximately 48.5 km (57%) of roadway in operation, other sections are under construction or are in planning.
at the border between Switzerland and France
. It runs south across the Ajoie
plateau to Porrentruy
, where it veers to the east. It crosses the northern Jura chains in Saint-Ursanne
through two long tunnels, and reaches Glovelier
, on the plateau of Delémont
. After bypassing that city, the A16 turns south again, and follows the course of the Birse
via Moutier
and Court until Tavannes
. Upon crossing Col de Pierre Pertuis
through tunnels, the A16 follows the valley of the Suze
(German:Schüss). It divides itself into a double lane road with separate downhill and uphill traffic on either side of the gorge of Taubenloch
. It then reaches, the level of the Swiss plateau
east of Biel/Bienne
, connecting to the A5
.
The following sections are under construction:
The following sections are currently still in the planning phase:
Because of the current financial constraints, the Swiss Federal Government can postpone most of the works on new sections. The connection of the A16 to the A36 motorway in France (Mulhouse - Dijon) between Montbéliard
and Belfort
is to be completed within a time horizon of 2025-2030.
, the construction of numerous tunnels is necessary to pass underneath the various Jura chains. The main tunnels (from north to south) with a length of more than 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) are:
There are 16 more tunnels that are less than 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) in length and were partly created in open pits. Some tunnels are, or have been, built to protect the residents of nearby villages and hamlets from the noise emissions.
, with a large majority (71%). The highway should be the favored new project of the Jura and the Ajoie. The efficient transport corridor is to ensure, after completion, a much faster connection to the rest of Switzerland.
Even after entering the national motorway network, there was the part of environmentalists strong opposition to the project. In the context of the so-called Clover Initiative, the construction of the A16 should be submitted to the entire Swiss population to vote. Due to the high acceptance of the project in the affected regions, the request was withdrawn before a vote on other controversial motorway cuts (in April 1990).
, workers found a slab with about 500 footprints of dinosaur
s, which used to live in the area about 150 million years ago.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, is a divided freeway connecting the border to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to the A5 motorway
A5 motorway (Switzerland)
The A5 is a Swiss Autobahn connecting Luterbach - Solothurn - - Neuchâtel - ....
, 84 kilometres (52.2 mi) to the south on the Swiss plateau
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface...
.
The A16 motorway is a long, winding corridor that crosses the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
from the Canton of Jura
Canton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...
through part of the Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
area, to the flat part of the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Berne
Canton of Berne
The Canton of Bern is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Canton of Fribourg and Vaud. To the south...
on the Swiss plateau
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface...
. Therefore it is called Transjurane. It is congruent with the National Highway N16 and following its anticipated completion around 2020-2030, it will connect the French motorway network with the rest of the Swiss national road network. The extension provides for both four-lane standard (highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
) and two-lane sections of "express roads" (Autostrasse). At present (2008), there are approximately 48.5 km (57%) of roadway in operation, other sections are under construction or are in planning.
History
at Boncourt in the AjoieAjoie
L’Ajoie is an area located in the Northwest part of Switzerland, in the canton of Jura, .It is a part of the Jura plain, composed of six geographic areas:...
at the border between Switzerland and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It runs south across the Ajoie
Ajoie
L’Ajoie is an area located in the Northwest part of Switzerland, in the canton of Jura, .It is a part of the Jura plain, composed of six geographic areas:...
plateau to Porrentruy
Porrentruy
Porrentruy is a Swiss municipality and seat of the district of the same name located in the canton of Jura.-Geography:The municipality lies on both sides of the Allaine River, in Ajoie at the foot of the Jura Mountains on the north...
, where it veers to the east. It crosses the northern Jura chains in Saint-Ursanne
Saint-Ursanne
Saint Ursanne is a city and a former municipality of the district of Porrentruy in the canton of Jura, Switzerland which has preserved its medieval character. The city contains many historical curiosities, including collegiate churches, a cloister, ruins of a castle, and a hermitage...
through two long tunnels, and reaches Glovelier
Glovelier
Glovelier is a municipality in the district of Delémont in the canton of Jura in Switzerland.-External links:...
, on the plateau of Delémont
Delémont
Delémont is the capital of the Swiss canton of Jura. The city has approximately 11,000 inhabitants as of 2007.-Geography:Delémont lies southwest of Basel, about halfway between Basel and Bienne...
. After bypassing that city, the A16 turns south again, and follows the course of the Birse
Birse
Birse is a parish in the Lower Deeside area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which includes the communities of Finzean and Ballogie. However the name Birse is often used to refer only to the northwestern part of the parish which lies on the south side of the River Dee, Aberdeenshire, opposite the...
via Moutier
Moutier
Moutier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...
and Court until Tavannes
Tavannes
Tavannes is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...
. Upon crossing Col de Pierre Pertuis
Col de Pierre Pertuis
Col de Pierre Pertuis is a mountain pass in the Jura Mountains in the canton of Berne in Switzerland.It connects Sonceboz and Tavannes.The name of the pass comes from the Latin: Petra pertusa, meaning broken rock...
through tunnels, the A16 follows the valley of the Suze
Suze
Suze may refer to several people:* Suze Randall, a photographer and model* Suze Orman, a financial adviser* Suze Rotolo, girlfriend of Bob Dylan in the early 60's* Suze DeMarchi, singer/songwriter* Suze Raymond, television presenterIt may also refer to:...
(German:Schüss). It divides itself into a double lane road with separate downhill and uphill traffic on either side of the gorge of Taubenloch
Taubenloch
Taubenloch, is a gorge located in the Canton of Bern, above Biel/Bienne in Switzerland. It crosses the first Jura Mountains mountain chain, as considered from the Swiss Plateau.-Location:...
. It then reaches, the level of the Swiss plateau
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface...
east of Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne is a city in the district of the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located on the language boundary and is throughout bilingual. Biel is the German name for the town, Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both...
, connecting to the A5
A5 motorway (Switzerland)
The A5 is a Swiss Autobahn connecting Luterbach - Solothurn - - Neuchâtel - ....
.
Status of construction
The following sections are in operation:- Biel (Bözingenfeld) - La HeutteLa HeutteLa Heutte is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:La Heutte was first mentioned in 1393 as Hütte...
: Applies from entering Biel-North officially as third-class national highway, because the section also supports bicycles and tractors. In each direction two lanes are almost continuously present. The running carriageway is treated separately, one on the west, the other on the eastern valley slope, the latter being largely the main track of the ancient use. - La Heutte - Tavannes: route with standard highway, opened 1997.
- Delémont - Porrentruy: Narrow highway with emergency stopping bays but without paved emergency lane; the tunnels of Mont Terri and Russelin have one lane in each direction. The opening of the route took place in 1998, which bypasses Delémont and Porrentruy (each with standard highway) in 2005.
- Moutier-North opened up Choindez (Canton boundary BE / JU), 2007.
The following sections are under construction:
- Court - Moutier-Nord: Mostly one lane in each direction, motorway standard in the section to Moutier Moutier-Sud-Nord. Expected opening of Court to Moutier-North in 2011.
- Porrentruy-Ouest - Boncourt: First grubbing and construction works in progress. Of this section, only one lane will be created initially, which will be opened throughout 2013. Then, an extension is intended to four lanes.
The following sections are currently still in the planning phase:
- Tavannes - LoveresseLoveresseLoveresse is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...
: The construction work on a two-lane stretch will start shortly and the opening is planned for 2011. - Loveresse - configure Court: With a 4.5 km stretch of standard highway, will open in 2015.
- District boundary BE / JU - Delémont-Est: This two-lane section will be built from 2007 to 2012.
Because of the current financial constraints, the Swiss Federal Government can postpone most of the works on new sections. The connection of the A16 to the A36 motorway in France (Mulhouse - Dijon) between Montbéliard
Montbéliard
Montbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
and Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
is to be completed within a time horizon of 2025-2030.
Costs
Along its course, the A16 has many engineering structures, mainly tunnels but also some bridges. Therefore, the A16 is one of the most expensive road projects in Switzerland. For the whole line, a total cost of 5.6 billion Swiss francs is estimated.Tunnels
Because of the difficult terrain in the area of the Jura MountainsJura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
, the construction of numerous tunnels is necessary to pass underneath the various Jura chains. The main tunnels (from north to south) with a length of more than 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) are:
- Tunnel de Bure (3027 metres or 9,931.1 ft)
- Tunnel du Banné (1086 metres or 3,563 ft, Bypass Porrentruy)
- Tunnel de la Perche (1027 metres or 3,369.4 ft, Bypass Porrentruy)
- Tunnel du Mont Terri (4068 metres or 13,346.5 ft)
- Tunnel du Mont Russelin (3550 metres or 11,647 ft)
- Tunnel de Choindez (3200 metres or 10,498.7 ft, Bypass Schlucht von Choindez)
- Tunnel du Raimeux (3211 metres or 10,534.8 ft, Bypass der Gorges de Moutier)
- Tunnel de Moutier (1191 metres or 3,907.5 ft, Bypass Moutier)
- Tunnel de Graitery (2420 metres or 7,939.6 ft, Bypass Schlucht von Court)
- Tunnel Sous le Mont (1210 metres or 3,969.8 ft, Bypass Tavannes)
- Tunnel de Pierre Pertuis (2208 metres or 7,244.1 ft)
There are 16 more tunnels that are less than 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) in length and were partly created in open pits. Some tunnels are, or have been, built to protect the residents of nearby villages and hamlets from the noise emissions.
History
The A16 was not one from the start to the national motorway network in Switzerland, although there were initial projects of Jura rapid-traverse between Biel and Belfort, as early as 1964. The inclusion of the A16 in the plan of the national road network came in 1984, after the population had approved construction in the Canton of JuraCanton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...
, with a large majority (71%). The highway should be the favored new project of the Jura and the Ajoie. The efficient transport corridor is to ensure, after completion, a much faster connection to the rest of Switzerland.
Even after entering the national motorway network, there was the part of environmentalists strong opposition to the project. In the context of the so-called Clover Initiative, the construction of the A16 should be submitted to the entire Swiss population to vote. Due to the high acceptance of the project in the affected regions, the request was withdrawn before a vote on other controversial motorway cuts (in April 1990).
Paleontology
During the construction work on the A16, in the vicinity of CourtedouxCourtedoux
Courtedoux is a municipality in the district of Porrentruy of the Canton of Jura, Switzerland....
, workers found a slab with about 500 footprints of dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, which used to live in the area about 150 million years ago.
Junction list
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External links
- Official Website (French)
- Ausgrabung von Saurierfährten (with photos)
- Photo-series A16 auf Autobahnen.ch