In the framework of prospective works on the evolution of motorways in the approach of the great European metropolises, ASFA (French motorways association) has considered these future evolutions and produced a video to show the main results.
The video was presented to the Utrecht JTS on May 31, 2018, as a contribution from MedTIS, in view of the Roadmap of European authorities and operators, creating a fair debate among members. Hereinafter a short summary.
Re thinking the motorways of the future:
Urban mobility is not only increasing but also changing. Urban motorways will be part of these changes.
The case of Paris, with the objective of reducing drastically the traffic of thermal vehicles by 2030, offers new fields of thoughts to which ASFA is willing to contribute. There are 8 main access points to Paris served by urban motorway networks with traffic often over 200 000V / day. That traffic is mainly composed of very lightly loaded vehicles ( 1.15 people / vehicle). This situation generates high congestion. North access of Paris, from Charles de Gaulle airport to the city of Paris, presents the most important difficulties.
With the “Grand Paris” project and the 2024 Olympic Games, this sector will benefit tomorrow from new transport infrastructure (Charles De Gaulle Express Line, Grand Paris Metro Express Line, new Pleyel crossroads station …). This is an opportunity to rethink the functionalities of the A1 motorway, Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport, in this new context. The aim is to reconcile modes of transport that are today too distant (public transportation and motorway).
ASFA has launched this project together with a team of 9 engineering students from the national school of Ponts et Chaussées as part of their graduation project. The new public transportation lines and the A1 motorway have an almost parallel route over some 20 km. It therefore seemed appropriate to rethink the A1 as a continuous interface between the Charles de Gaulle airport and the “Porte de Paris” (Pleyel), by creating interconnection platforms between this motorway and the new mass public transportation lines. All along this axis, there will be a total of 6 interconnection stations on the 6 service areas already existing on this motorway section.
The redesign of the A1 motorway and its interconnection areas consists of putting in place systems allowing:
- to reserve lanes for non-polluting vehicles and public transport vehicles only
- to progressively direct traffic composed of other vehicles to the new redesigned rest areas for transferring the passengers to other modes of transport.
A presentation is available in English on https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6f33ro