Overview
- Illwerke‑VKW, which runs the road, said Monday the pass will stay closed through 2029 with a target reopening in summer 2030.
- The decision follows repeated mudflows and unstable slopes that make a simple repair unsafe.
- The plan calls for rerouting risky sections and building new protective dams, with permitting in summer 2026, a construction vote in spring 2027, and work each summer from 2027 to 2029.
- Access options stay in place, including summer service on the Vermuntbahn from Vorarlberg and a toll‑free drive to the Bielerhöhe from the Tyrol side, while a tunnel shuttle is still only a proposal.
- Across the Alps, South Tyrol towns plan a trial motor‑traffic ban on the Grödner Joch from September 1, 2026 to February 1, 2027, though the province must still approve and outlets differ on how far 2027 rules could go.