Infrastructure Development and Protection of the Wetland Landscapes in the Magadino Plain
The Magadino plain is not only a hub for various infrastructure networks. One third of its area is a protected wetland landscape. Together with the canton of Ticino, the federal government has outlined a way to coordinate future rail, road and power grid projects and thereby ensure the protection of this landscape. The report was published by the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE) on 8 August 2025.
The plain between Bellinzona and Locarno is part of the Federal Inventory of Wetland Landscapes of Special Beauty and National Importance.
The region has undergone significant spatial development over the past 50 years. The federal government is planning several infrastructure expansions in the coming years in this spatially demanding area.
A working group of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) examined the planning of the infrastructure projects and their impact on the wetland landscape. The basis was an expert opinion by Peter M. Keller, Professor of Environmental Law at the University of Bern. The Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE) chaired the working group, which also included the canton of Ticino, the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO), the Federal Office of Transport (FOT), the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), as well as the national grid operator Swissgrid AG.
The report states that the All'Acqua–Vallemaggia–Magadino high-voltage overhead line is to be laid underground in the area of the wetland landscape. This was stipulated in the Sectoral Plan for Transmission Lines (SÜL). The Magadino substation, which is also located within the wetland landscape, will be reduced in size as part of the necessary renovation works.
The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are carrying out the double-track expansion of the railway line between Contone and Tenero in stages. The section through the moorland is addressed by the Sectoral Plan for Transport, Rail Infrastructure section (SIS). In addition, the potential for bundling this railway line with new high-voltage power lines is being examined. Also included in the SIS is a new rail connection that bypasses Bellinzona and crosses the Magadino plain. It links the two base tunnels of the Gotthard and Ceneri.
Since 2020, the federal government has been responsible for the A13 between the A2 junction at Bellinzona-Sud and Locarno. The project for the new alignment of this heavily congested road will be incorporated into the Sectoral Plan for Transport, Road Infrastructure section (SIN) and coordinated with other planning activities in the Magadino plain. The project is currently under review as part of the study “Traffic ’45”.
