Why did the Grisons block the new diversion anti-trafficking sanctions?

The Grand Council of Grisons rejected the UDC motion calling for a feasibility study on the Birsfelden model by 67 votes to 41. The Executive has recommended waiting for a final judgment on the Basel Campagna system, still the subject of pending judicial proceedings, before using resources in a new pilot project.

How does the Birsfelden model that inspired the greyish UDC work?

In the municipality of Birsfelden (BL), since 2025 there has been a traffic ban on several neighborhood roads to block detour traffic. The control is automated: those who stop for less than 15 minutes in the affected areas receive a fine. The aim is to distinguish residents and users of services from those who use the streets as a shortcut during queues.

Which parties have supported the government's line of prudence?

The Centre, the PLR, the PS and the PVL supported the position of the Grey Executive, opposed to new measures before the ruling on Birsfelden. The Greens and a part of the right voted in favour of the UDC motion, in an unusual alliance. PLR deputy Bruno Loi highlighted the risk of hitting tourists especially.

What happens now in the Graubünden?

The Grison government will have to monitor judicial developments on the Birsfelden model. Only after a judgment becomes final will the Executive be able to evaluate whether to adapt a similar mechanism to the cantonal reality. For the moment, municipalities affected by diversion traffic have no new regulatory tools and can only use those already available.

Graubünden: no new fines for detour traffic (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 29 August 2026

Mountain road in Graubünden with a weekend traffic jam

The Grand Council of Grisons rejects the UDC motion by 67 votes to 41: no anti-divert project until a ruling on the Birsfelden model.

Context

In a nutshell

The Grand Council of Grison has decided to suspend consideration of new diversion anti-trafficking measures
The Executive awaits the ruling on the Birsfelden (BL) model, where a transit ban with automated fines has been in force since 2025
The UDC motion was rejected by 67 votes to 41

Key facts

What: The Grand Council of Graubünden has decided to wait for the judicial ruling on the Birsfelden model before evaluating new sanctions against diversionary traffic
When: The decision was made today; in Birsfelden the ban has been in place since 2025
Where: Graubünden, on the north-south axis and on the N28; the reference model is located in Birsfelden (BL)
Who: The Grand Council of Grison, the Government of Grison, the UDC of Grison
Amount: Fines in Birsfelden are triggered for those who stop less than 15 minutes in the affected areas

The Grand Council of Graubünden decided today to align itself with the government's position on diversionary traffic during periods of congestion. The Executive has chosen not to adopt further measures before having a final judgment on the model of sanctions adopted by the municipality of Birsfelden, in the canton of Basel-Country.

On the north-south axis and on the N28 in the Graubünden, queues regularly form during the high tourist season and on weekends. Many motorists deviate on the roads of the surrounding countries, to the point that even the residents struggle to transit.

The Grison CDU had

Operational details

The implications for Graubünden residents

The decision of the Greater Grison Council temporarily leaves the situation unchanged for those living in the areas affected by diversion traffic. Residents of the north-south axis and the N28 will continue to face traffic jams during the peak tourist season and on weekends, with motorists inevitably diverting onto secondary municipal roads.

The Birsfelden model, which the UDC in Grison was inspired by, provides for automated penalties for those who transit in areas subject to prohibition without stopping for at least 15 minutes. It is an approach that aims to discourage the use of neighbourhood streets as shortcuts during queuing periods, but its applicability in a canton with a strong tourist vocation such as Graubünden remains to be verified.

The tourist node raised by the PLR

PLR deputy Bruno Loi highlighted an aspect that goes beyond mere traffic management. "We must not forget that Birsfelden's solution would hit and sanction guests in the first place," he noted, recalling that Graubünden lives on tourism. This argument has been heard in a parliament where the economic component linked to the tourism sector has a considerable specific weight.

Center deputy Franz Sepp Caluori summed up the majority's approach: "Let's calmly look for a smart solution." A position that prioritizes caution over adoption

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Key points

How the Birsfelden model works

To understand what awaits Graubünden, it is worth examining the mechanism already in operation in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. In Birsfelden, since 2025, several residential streets have been closed to through traffic during congestion periods. Passage control is carried out in an automated manner: cameras or other devices detect vehicles crossing the restricted zones.

A fine is issued to those who pass through without stopping for at least 15 minutes in the affected areas. The aim is to distinguish between those who live in or need to access services in the area and those who simply use it as a shortcut to avoid queues on the main route.

The automated control procedure

The system adopted in Birsfelden is based on detection technologies that make it possible to identify vehicles in transit and verify the duration of the stop. If the restriction is not respected, the vehicle owner receives a fine. The procedure is similar to that used for other automatically detected violations, such as speeding or running red lights.

Next steps

Graubünden currently has no defined timeline for the ruling on the Birsfelden model. The cantonal government has committed to monitoring the judicial situation and to evaluating any measures only once there is full legal clarity. In the meantime, the municipalities affected by diversion traffic can continue to use the traffic management tools already available, such as prohibition signs or temporary one-way systems.

For those who live in or regularly travel through the affected areas, the only certainty for the moment is that the situation will remain unchanged at least until there are significant developments on the judicial or political front.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Grisons block the new diversion anti-trafficking sanctions?: The Grand Council of Grisons rejected the UDC motion calling for a feasibility study on the Birsfelden model by 67 votes to 41. The Executive has recommended waiting for a final judgment on the Basel Campagna system, still the subject of pending judicial proceedings, before using resources in a new pilot project.
How does the Birsfelden model that inspired the greyish UDC work?: In the municipality of Birsfelden (BL), since 2025 there has been a traffic ban on several neighborhood roads to block detour traffic. The control is automated: those who stop for less than 15 minutes in the affected areas receive a fine. The aim is to distinguish residents and users of services from those who use the streets as a shortcut during queues.
Which parties have supported the government's line of prudence?: The Centre, the PLR, the PS and the PVL supported the position of the Grey Executive, opposed to new measures before the ruling on Birsfelden. The Greens and a part of the right voted in favour of the UDC motion, in an unusual alliance. PLR deputy Bruno Loi highlighted the risk of hitting tourists especially.
What happens now in the Graubünden?: The Grison government will have to monitor judicial developments on the Birsfelden model. Only after a judgment becomes final will the Executive be able to evaluate whether to adapt a similar mechanism to the cantonal reality. For the moment, municipalities affected by diversion traffic have no new regulatory tools and can only use those already available.
Where do detour traffic problems focus in Graubünden?: The inconveniences concern in particular the north-south axis and the N28, where queues regularly form during the high tourist season and on weekends. Many motorists deviate on the roads of the surrounding countries, to the point that even the residents struggle to transit.