[6][7] During the construction of the Bernina Railway, its engineers decided that its route and features ought to follow and adapt to the natural landscape to the maximum extent, avoiding unnecessary complexity wherever possible.

[8] They also decided to avoid the construction of a rack-and-pinion railway due to a desire for the line to be suitable for both passenger and freight traffic; the adoption of a rack system would have made it impossible to run heavy trains, effectively preventing the line's use by freight trains.

The spiral configuration maximises the rate of elevation in comparison to a conventional curve, while also avoiding the inconveniences of a switchback alternative.

The services the spiral viaduct carries facilitate not only local trade purposes but tourism as well.

Since 2008, the spiral viaduct, along with the rest of the route, has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.