September 2024 will be marked by significant interventions in the Frejus tunnel, leading to traffic restrictions during nighttime hours. Authorities have scheduled a series of closures and the implementation of alternating one-way traffic to allow for maintenance work and safety improvements within the tunnel. These operations began on Monday, September 2, 2024, and will continue throughout the month, spanning four weeks. During this period, the tunnel will operate under alternating one-way traffic from Monday to Friday, with specific opening and closing times varying depending on the direction of travel.
Specifically, in weeks 36 (September 1-7), 38, and 39 (September 15-21 and September 22-28), traffic will be managed as follows: From France to Italy, the tunnel will be closed from 10:30 PM to midnight and during other nighttime intervals, with brief windows for reopening; From Italy to France, transit will be blocked from 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM and at other intervals, with alternating openings. Special attention is given to the night between September 13 and 14 (week 37), when the tunnel will be completely closed for two hours in both directions, from midnight to 1:00 AM and from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM, due to extraordinary interventions.
Despite being limited to nighttime hours, these closures could cause significant disruptions for travelers. Transit times for the nights affected by the alternating schedule ensure that full circulation will be restored by 4:45 AM each morning, at which point traffic will resume normally. Sitaf advises travelers to plan their journeys carefully, taking into account the scheduled closures and possible delays. It is also recommended to consult the official tunnel websites for real-time updates.
The traffic restrictions at the Frejus tunnel come at a time when the Mont Blanc tunnel will be completely closed to traffic from September 2 to December 16 for extraordinary maintenance work. This means that a large portion of industrial vehicles that would normally pass through Mont Blanc will be diverted to Frejus. An estimated additional 1,500 trucks per day will travel between Bardonecchia and Modane, raising concerns about potential congestion on the Turin ring road.
This situation is raising alarm among transporters and business leaders. "The exchange of goods between Italy and European countries risks coming to a standstill, not to mention the usual issues at Brenner," said Paolo Uggè, president of Fai-Conftrasporto, adding that "it is time to reconsider the contents of the Alpine Convention's Transport Protocol, and we are ready to contribute by bringing the voice of the transport and logistics companies."
Andrea Amalberto, president of Confindustria Piemonte, emphasized that "any route change results in costs that reduce the competitiveness of our goods. France is one of Italy's major partners for trade, with 45 million tons of goods exchanged annually, not counting those passing through to other destinations." He warned that "if the Frejus road tunnel were to have a problem, we would all be stuck."
