Grubenstrasse residents voice complaints

Excessive traffic and speeding on Grubenstrasse were hot topics at a farmers’ meeting August 29. Grubenstrasse is a one-lane road that leads from the Brot Bar intersection in Gstaad to Schönried. Tourists, construction workers, ski teachers, and taxis all use the road as a shortcut, much to the dismay of Gruben residents and pedestrians. People are worried that excessive traffic on the lane poses a serious safety risk to pedestrians and especially to schoolchildren. Drivers who use Gruben as a shortcut between Schönried and Gstaad and who ignore the 40km per hour speed limit are especially dangerous, they said. They also noted that construction firms and commuters use the road early in the morning and at lunchtime, when children are walking to and from school.

Above, the Grubenstrasse intersection at Brot Bar, where parked cars can sometimes make it hard to pull out onto the main road between Gstaad and Saanen.

As it is a private road, it is illegal to drive on Grubenstrasse unless you're a resident, making a delivery, or you have an appointment. The fine for using the road as a shortcut is at least SFr 60. Speed checks and roadblocks were considered effective, but not conducted frequently enough, attendees said, and stricter measures are being demanded. Many are now calling for such measures as the installation of road barriers, sinking poles, or speed bumps, although Gruben residents rejected the implementation of road barriers a few years ago (keep out the outsiders, but just don't inconvenience us). Rolf Schwenter, president of the Grubenstrasse commission that was founded in 1999, said that while it would be difficult to prevent the illegal use of the lane without road barriers, it would be possible to increase the number of speed checks. “It is the responsibility of the cantonal police to carry out checks,” Schwenter told GstaadLife. “We have requested additional assistance. Whether or not this happens depends on the police.” Note to Gruben: don't hold your breath.

Gruben resident Hans-Ueli Marti believes that increased speed checks and steep fines would help control the situation. “It annoys me that there is so much traffic,” said Marti, whose two young children cross the Grubenstrasse each day to go to school. “If the 40km per hour limit were strictly adhered to, it would no longer be worth using the road as a shortcut,” he added. Marti believes speed bumps might be an option, as long as they are not too close to residences. He said that nearby residents have complained about noise caused by empty trucks going over speed bumps in Saanenmöser.

Large trucks are of concern to part-time Gruben resident and homeowner, Claudine Pereira, whose dog was killed a few years ago by a truck on the Grubenstrasse. She said that construction in Schönried was bringing a lot of trucks through Gruben. “Trucks are going so fast,” Pereira said, “I worry that this could lead to a tragic accident involving a baby carriage or a child. I think they should stop vehicles at the bottom and at the top more often.” She also said that she has frequently witnessed and heard cars using the road in the late night hours and attributes this to people using the road to avoid drinking and driving controls. “All you have to do is see the downed cow-fence railings the next morning,” Pereira added.

Another safety concern is the lack of visibility pulling out of the Grubenstrasse at the Brotbar intersection. “If there is only one parked car, this is still ok,” Pereira said, “But if there is a van parked there, you have to play Russian roulette when pulling out. I think that there should be no parking in front of the store, as Brot Bar has parking on the side. We would also help pay for a mirror.”

At the meeting, some people suggested that a new footpath from Schönried via Gruben to Gstaad, through Saali and Löchli, could reduce pedestrian traffic on the Grubenstrasse. But others say that discouraging pedestrian traffic is not the goal, as fewer pedestrians could lead to more cars and trucks and higher speeds on everybody’s favorite shortcut.