Mountain Road Maintenance in the Alps – MeriRoad Equip-ment Enables Recycling at Nearly 3,000 Metres Altitude
A demanding mountain road maintenance project was carried out in the Swiss Alps at an altitude of nearly 3,000 metres, demonstrating the capability of MeriRoad equipment in extreme conditions. The maintained road section was approximately 9 kilometres long and located on a narrow mountain road where transporting new aggregate to the site would have been either practically impossible or prohibitively expensive.
In environments like this, on-site recycling is not just an advantage—it is often the only viable solution. High altitude, steep terrain and limited access place strict requirements on road maintenance methods, which tractor-mounted MeriRoad equipment is well suited to meet.
Recycling-based maintenance without heavy logistics
The work was based on on-site recycling and mixing of the existing gravel road structure. The Crusher RC65-221 DTG opened the road by crushing and processing the surface material into a reusable form. The crushed material was then profiled and levelled with the MeriGrader, restoring the correct road shape and drainage even in challenging mountainous terrain. Finally, the road was compacted with the MeriPacker soil compactor to ensure a durable and load-bearing result suitable for demanding use and changing weather conditions.
All work phases were completed using the existing materials, without the need to transport new aggregate up the mountain or haul old material away. This significantly reduced transport requirements, fuel consumption and environmental impact.
A reliable solution for narrow, high-altitude mountain roads
Working on narrow mountain roads at altitudes of 2,500–3,000 metres requires equipment that is not only powerful but also agile and dependable. Tractor-mounted MeriRoad machines are ideally suited for such conditions, where the use of heavy construction equipment and continuous truck traffic is not a realistic option.
The recycling-based maintenance method proved to be both cost-effective and environmentally friendly for maintaining long road sections in extreme terrain. The result was a smooth, load-bearing and safe mountain road that will continue to serve traffic reliably high on the Alpine slopes.