What did the Greater Grison Council decide on diverted traffic?

By 67 votes to 41, the Grand Council of Graubünden accepted the cantonal government's line, asking to wait for the judgment on the pending judicial proceedings relating to the Birsfelden (BL) model before evaluating a similar pilot project. The Commission will therefore not have to submit any draft to Parliament for the time being.

What is the Birsfelden model mentioned in the debate?

Since 2025, in the Municipality of Birsfelden, in the canton of Basel-Country, a traffic ban has been in force on several neighborhood roads to block detour traffic. Anyone who stops less than 15 minutes in the affected areas is fined, with control of the passage carried out in an automated way. The model is currently the subject of pending legal proceedings.

Why does the Grison Government want to wait before intervening?

The Government of Grison explained in its response to the UDC motion that the Birsfelden model is still sub iudice and that it considers it appropriate to wait for a final judgment before using resources to develop and verify a similar pilot project. Parliament supported this position with Centro, PLR, PS and PVL.

Who supported the immediate feasibility study?

The Grison-based CDU had proposed introducing a ban on circumventing columns on the Birsfelden model, asking for a feasibility study. The Greens had presented parliamentary speeches of similar tenor, forming an unusual alliance with the UDC. However, their proposal was rejected by 67 votes to 41.

What practical consequences for drivers in Graubünden today?

At the moment nothing changes in terms of sanctions: no traffic ban is in force on the streets of the Grison district, no automated control system has been installed in the Canton and detours from the main roads remain without specific sanctions. The issue could return to Parliament after the ruling on the pending proceedings.

Graubünden: Grand Council halted pending Birsfelden case (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 29 August 2026

Alpine road in the Grisons with traffic jams and cars diverting into a mountain village

Vote 67-41: the Grison Parliament follows the Government and postpones any decision on diverted traffic until the ruling on the BL model.

Context

In a nutshell

Graubünden: Grand Council follows the Government on the traffic issue
The judgment on the Birsfelden (BL) model is awaited
UDC asked for a ban on circumventing the columns on the BL model
Vote: 67 against 41 for the Executive line

Key facts

What: The Grand Council of Graubünden has decided to follow the Government's line on the prohibition of bypassing traffic jams
When: date of today's meeting not specified in the text
Where: Canton of Graubünden, with reference to the north-south axis and the N28
Who: Graubünden Grand Council, Graubünden Executive, UDC, Centro, PLR, PS, PVL, Greens
Reference model: Municipality of Birsfelden (BL), prohibition of transit in force since 2025
Fine threshold: stop for less than 15 minutes in the affected areas
Result vote: 67 votes to 41

The decision of the Greater Grey Council

The Grand Council of the Canton of Graubünden decided today to follow the cantonal government's line on the ban on bypassing traffic jams. The Executive intends to wait before adopting further measures, pending a court ruling regarding the model of sanctions introduced by the Municipality of Birsfelden, in the Basel-Country Canton.

The crux of the matter concerns the north-south axis and the N28 national road, where columns regularly form in Graubünden during the high tourist season and on weekends. In the event of congested traffic, many motorists detour onto the roads of surrounding countries,

Operational details

What the Birsfelden model concretely provides

To understand the scope of the issue, it is useful to examine what the model adopted in Birsfelden actually does. Since 2025, in that municipality of Canton Basel-Country, a transit ban has been in force on several neighborhood roads, designed to block detour traffic. The mechanism is based on a time threshold: those who stop for less than 15 minutes in the affected areas receive a fine. Passage control is automated, which means that no dedicated patrols are needed: the system itself detects transits.

This type of solution is at the heart of pending judicial proceedings, as highlighted by the Grisonese Executive in the response to the UDC motion. Until a final judgment arrives, the Government of Graubünden does not want to use resources to develop and verify a similar pilot project.

The weight of tourism in the Grisonese equation

A central aspect of the debate is the link between diversionary traffic and tourism. PLR MP Bruno Loi stressed that the Birsfelden model would hit guests first, and Graubünden lives off tourism. The Canton is one of Switzerland's main tourist destinations, with concentrated flows especially in high season, when columns on the north-south axis and on the N28 are more frequent.

As a result, any restrictive measures on bypass traffic risk

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Key points

What to do if you transit through the Grisons

For motorists travelling along the north-south axis or the N28 in the Grisons, nothing changes for now in terms of penalties. The Birsfelden model has not been replicated in the Canton, and the Government is not required to submit a proposal to Parliament following the vote of the Grand Council.

In practical terms:

No transit ban is in force on the Grisons' residential roads.
No automated control system has been installed in the Canton.
Deviations from the main roads remain, for now, without specific penalties.

How to follow developments

Those interested in following the evolution of the issue can monitor:

The press releases of the Grisons Grand Council and Government.
The outcome of the pending legal proceedings on the Birsfelden model, which will serve as a precedent for any similar projects in other Cantons.
The Grisons parliamentary sessions, where the topic could return after the ruling.

Hypothetical scenario: if the Birsfelden model were confirmed

We present this scenario as explicitly hypothetical, based only on the information contained in the source. If the ruling on the pending legal proceedings were to consider the Birsfelden system legitimate, the Grisons could evaluate a similar feasibility study. In that case, the applicable rules could be: a transit ban on designated residential roads, a 15-minute stop threshold, automated passage control, penalties for those who violate the ban.

For those travelling for tourism or work in the Canton, it would mean planning routes that avoid residential areas, or staying longer in the affected areas to avoid fines.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Greater Grison Council decide on diverted traffic?: By 67 votes to 41, the Grand Council of Graubünden accepted the cantonal government's line, asking to wait for the judgment on the pending judicial proceedings relating to the Birsfelden (BL) model before evaluating a similar pilot project. The Commission will therefore not have to submit any draft to Parliament for the time being.
What is the Birsfelden model mentioned in the debate?: Since 2025, in the Municipality of Birsfelden, in the canton of Basel-Country, a traffic ban has been in force on several neighborhood roads to block detour traffic. Anyone who stops less than 15 minutes in the affected areas is fined, with control of the passage carried out in an automated way. The model is currently the subject of pending legal proceedings.
Why does the Grison Government want to wait before intervening?: The Government of Grison explained in its response to the UDC motion that the Birsfelden model is still sub iudice and that it considers it appropriate to wait for a final judgment before using resources to develop and verify a similar pilot project. Parliament supported this position with Centro, PLR, PS and PVL.
Who supported the immediate feasibility study?: The Grison-based CDU had proposed introducing a ban on circumventing columns on the Birsfelden model, asking for a feasibility study. The Greens had presented parliamentary speeches of similar tenor, forming an unusual alliance with the UDC. However, their proposal was rejected by 67 votes to 41.
What practical consequences for drivers in Graubünden today?: At the moment nothing changes in terms of sanctions: no traffic ban is in force on the streets of the Grison district, no automated control system has been installed in the Canton and detours from the main roads remain without specific sanctions. The issue could return to Parliament after the ruling on the pending proceedings.