Critical traffic situations have repeatedly occurred on Rübeldorfstrasse for years. Now the municipality has reacted, but the current measures seem to be missing their mark.

Residents on Rübeldorfstrasse in Saanen have been noticing for years what has now been confirmed by repeated traffic measurements: “Although the speed limit is being observed, there have been repeated critical situations”, says the municipality of Saanen in a letter addressed to the residents of the affected road. Various measures are to be tested during the summer months of 2021 and 2022.

The first measures, wooden elements that restrict the width of the road, have already been placed. “The success of the measures will be monitored with our mobile speed measuring device Speedy,” explains municipal councilor Klaus Romang, head of infrastructure at the municipality of Saanen, upon request. A more in-depth evaluation will take place in autumn. The purpose of these measures is to “increase traffic safety and achieve sustainable traffic calming”, according to the letter mentioned at the beginning.

Some residents don’t believe these wooden elements have the desired effect. They have observed that these elements neither calm traffic nor increase safety. Since the wooden elements have been placed on the road, there have been several accidents involving cyclists, who have collided with the wooden elements. They also noticed that motorists rather accelerate to pass the obstacles as quickly as possible or swerve onto the pavements during crossing manoeuvres.

Before winter sets in, these wooden elements will be removed again so they don’t interfere with snow clearance, explains Romang. And in winter the details for the test phase in 2022 will be determined.

BASED ON AVS/KEREM S MAURER