Pedestrianization of the banks of the Seine in Paris : first contrasting effects – Release

the pedestrianization of The banks of the Seine right bank in Paris, which raises critics and questions, a product of the first contrasting effects in terms of automobile traffic, according to a report by the city of Paris, pleased with these early indicators away from the “apocalypse foretold”.

A report from the directorate of highways and the displacement of the mayor of Paris, unveiled by The Sunday Newspaper, shows figures that “prove to be much lower than what was specified in the impact study” increase traffic with contrasted situations in terms of journey times. The banks of the Seine right bank in the heart of Paris, heirs of the era of the all-car years in the Pompidou, will be permanently reserved for pedestrians or bicycles. The Council of Paris must vote on the decision Monday.

The project closes the voie Georges-Pompidou in traffic on 3.3 km of the dock bottom, to the entrance of the tunnel des Tuileries (Ier arrondissement) at the exit of the tunnel Henri-IV (Fourth arrondissement). The path is already closed since mid-July due to Paris Plages, and an exhibition on the COP 22. According to the report, the number of vehicles per hour for the first three weeks of September has increased by 73%, on platforms high in the morning peak hours, compared to the same period in 2015: 2.023 vehicles per hour in 2016, up from 1.172 in 2015. At peak times of the night, the increase is 13% (2.066 against 1.824).

On the boulevard Saint-Germain, “identified as the main axis of the report”, the traffic has increased 41% in the morning (1.538 against 1.088), and “only 4% in the evening” (1.930 against of 1,856). According to The JDD, these figures “prove to be much lower than what was specified in the impact study” : from -9% in the morning and -22% in the evening on the quays, senior; -12% in the morning and -3% in the evening on the boulevard Saint-Germain.

The branch also analyzed the time course. the “It appears that motorists are 14 minutes, or one minute more than in 2015, to go from the Tuileries to the Basin of the Arsenal on the platforms high in the morning, and 20 minutes, compared to 15 minutes in 2015 in the evening.” On the boulevard Saint-Germain, “the situation is more tense”, notes The JDD : “13 minutes instead of 6 of the Concorde at the Institute of the arab world in the morning, 16 minutes instead of 13 in the evening.”

On a longer distance, from the Concorde to Bercy, motorists are 20 minutes in the morning, 7 more in 2015, passing by the docks high. They put the same time in the evening (26 minutes). If they go by the boulevard Saint-Germain, the journey takes 20 minutes, compared to 11 last year. In the evening, it takes a minute less than in 2015.

Christophe Najdovski, deputy EELV Transport of the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (PS), welcomed the ‘reports circulations are lower than expected by the models”. the “These are only initial indicators, but on the volume as of the time of course, this is not the apocalypse announced by some far, far away”, he told AFP, “this reinforces us in our determination”.

AFP