The refurbishment of the first Gotthard tube
As construction work on the second Gotthard tube progresses, the next important step is drawing closer: the comprehensive renovation of the existing tunnel tube. Rodrigo Correa, project manager for the renovation of the first Gotthard road tunnel, has already started work.
The first Gotthard road tunnel was officially opened on 5 September 1980 and has been one of Europe’s most important north-south connections ever since. After almost five decades of operation, many components are nearing the end of their service life. Comprehensive repairs are therefore unavoidable. The aim is to renovate the tunnel structurally and make it fit for the next 30 years. At the same time, the refurbishment offers the opportunity to modernise the technology and sustainably increase operational safety.
A project takes shape
Rodrigo Correa has been in charge of refurbishing the first Gotthard tube since 1 November 2025. The experienced civil engineer has many years of project planning experience in tunnelling and building construction. His role comprises a central control and coordination function. He monitors adherence to deadlines, costs and quality standards and is responsible for collaboration with associated projects and third parties. The project is currently in its initial phase: “During this time, I mainly focus on analysing the documents for the concept of measures and on defining the next activities for the measure implementation phase of the project,” explains Correa. “There are still various aspects of the renovation measures to be clarified, as well as those relating to logistics, material management and construction processes.” The project team for the next phase also has to be established.
From plan to implementation
The planned work in the tunnel is diverse and technically exacting. It involves, for example, dismantling and replacing the false ceiling and wall slabs to optimise the road surface. In addition, the drainage system will be switched from a mixed to a separation system so that clean mountain water and dirty surface run-off can be drained away separately in future. The ventilation system and all operating and security systems will also be renewed.
Once the refurbishment is completed, the situation for road users will improve significantly. In future, each tube will be one-way, with one lane and one hard shoulder each. This significantly increases road safety. It increases flexibility at the same time: in the event of incidents or maintenance work, one tube can be blocked while traffic continues in both directions through the other one. The result is a high-performance “Overall Gotthard Tunnel System”.