Emergency Road and Slope Clearance
Access to the affected area is a critical factor for rapid and sustainable reconstruction.
The landslide destroyed most of both the valley road to Blatten and the connection between Blatten, Eisten, and Weissenried. Just two days after the event, the municipality determined the route for an emergency and rescue road, and construction work began immediately. Thanks to this extraordinary effort, the area behind the landslide could be reached by vehicles and construction machinery via the newly built, 5.8-kilometer-long road just two months later, and the four hydroelectric power plants were reconnected to the grid
After the road was used intensively for rescue, cleanup, and construction work in the summer of 2025, it will also be available to local residents and for limited public transportation service starting in the summer of 2026. In June 2026, the route was extensively repaired and paved. This ensures Blatten’s long-term emergency access.
At the same time, construction work on the new cantonal road between Wiler and Blatten began in April 2026. Construction is expected to take about three years. A key prerequisite for this project is securing and clearing the slopes above the new route, which runs between 50 and 100 meters above the existing valley road.
Clearing the slopes is essential to ensure the safety of the future road against rockfalls, landslides, and debris flows. Work began last year (2025) in the Weissenried area and is currently ongoing. Due to the steep and exposed terrain, specialized machinery secured by steel cables is being used for this work. This includes, in particular, walking excavators and bulldozers. In the lower-lying and flatter areas, large crawler excavators are also being deployed.
The final design of the cantonal road in the vicinity of the village of Blatten will be developed in the coming months in close coordination with the master plan for the new village.
In addition to improving safety, the slope clearance also helps accelerate the natural revegetation of the affected areas. Just one year after the landslide, nature is reclaiming its habitat in many places. Steeper areas are receiving targeted support during the revegetation process. In addition, new forest areas are planned as protective and compensatory measures to stabilize and enhance the landscape in the long term.
