This talk examines the evolution of highway planning and maintenance in Switzerland from 1987 to 2024. Most of the motorways were before environmental impact studies. However landscape architects were part of the early planning teams. As of 1988 an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was required for the highway projects. The EIA reports pointed out the fragmentation of habitats caused and the need to mitigate this with fauna passages. The first fauna passage in Switzerland was built in 1992. In 2001 a national defragmentation program was launched. This program aims at the restoration of the most important wildlife corridors in the country through the construction of 51 wildlife passages along the national roads system. In 2022 5 more passages were added.
Extensive mitigation measures to replace impacted habitats are also required. The guideline 18006 on the financing of the maintenance of mitigation measures in 2005 set an important milestone, securing these measures on the long term.
The environmental follow-up of the construction phase was put into place with the Association for road engineers (VSS) in 2002. This is now a well embedded practice. Today environmental elements such as verges and their biodiversity are part of the road assets and managed as such on the long term.
With more than 30 environmental standards for roads a common language and recognition between engineers and environmental experts has grown.