The construction of the second tube will entail costs totalling around CHF 2.14 billion (plus or minus 15%) including VAT. Most of these costs will be accounted for by construction work.
Excurse: the vote on the second tube
The Gotthard road tunnel has been in operation since 1980. Due to its age, it is now in need of extensive renovation work. In order to keep this important road link open while this work is performed, the Federal Council and the Swiss Parliament examined a variety of options. In the end, it was decided to build a second tube without expanding capacity in terms of traffic volume before then renovating the existing tunnel. A referendum was launched against this decision.
On 28 February 2016, Switzerland voted on the construction of the second tube. Some 57% of those who voted did so in favour of the amendment to the Federal Act on Transit Road Traffic in the Alpine Region. A total of 1,883,859 Swiss voters thus gave their backing to the plans presented by the Federal Council and Swiss Parliament. The voter turnout was 63.47%
