A21 Great St. Bernard: restoration work after the avalanche

Post on: 23.04.2025

After the avalanche that hit the artificial tunnel Les Toules along the A21 of the Great St. Bernard, repair works of the infrastructure officially started today. The goal of the Federal Roads Office (USTRA) is to reopen the highway section within a few days, in compliance with safety conditions.

A21 Great St. Bernard

The snow slide, which occurred on Holy Thursday, dragged rocks and trees downstream, causing damage to a section of about 300 meters of the Les Toules semi-tunnel. Since then, the A21 has remained closed to transit traffic to and from Italy.

During the Easter weekend, the first urgent safety interventions were initiated. The necessary material was promptly transported to the site, and this morning, the actual restoration works began.

According to current estimates, it will take about three working days to complete the structural interventions.

Reopening subject to safety conditions

However, the reopening of the artery remains subject to the assessment of the risk of falling rocks, which cannot be accurately evaluated at the moment due to the thick snow cover on the avalanche slope. Until full operational safety is ensured, a specific date for the resumption of traffic cannot be established.

Even after reopening, a one-way alternating traffic with traffic lights control is planned to allow work to continue under safe conditions.

It is worth noting that, on the Swiss side, the A21 remains accessible for local traffic between Martigny and Bourg-St-Pierre.