ROCHEFORT-DU-GARD Works of the RD 111: “Safety is priceless”
This week, the municipality of Rochefort-du-Gard organized a public meeting at Castelas presenting the work that will be carried out on the RD111 (route d’Avignon). Many residents made the trip.
The main objective of this work is to keep our children and pedestrians safe on this much talked about road“, recalls the mayor, Rémy Bachevalier. More than 10,000 vehicles per day use this axis. Some with excessive speed. So since the beginning of 2021, the municipality has lowered the speed from 70 km/h to 50 km/h on the section going from the old Avignon road to the Diane roundabout. Despite the new regulations and controls, drivers do not always respect the authorized speed.
The requalification works will extend over 900 linear meters from the Diane roundabout to the old Avignon road. Sidewalks will be created to allow pedestrians to reach the bus shelters in complete safety, as well as through platforms. A roundabout with four branches will be set up in a straight line to break the speed. And energy-efficient public lighting will be installed. So much for the outline of the project which should begin in May with the burying of the dry networks followed by the roads. They should be finished by the end of the year.
In total, the work amounts to 1,420 million euros excluding tax. The municipality financed about half, the rest is supported by the Department (400,000€), Greater Avignon (205,000€) and the SMEG (Mixed electricity union of Gard) (150,000€). ” It is a major financial effort for the municipality (…) but security is priceless“, owner the mayor.
“The Department told us that it was not possible to make a cycle path on this section”
To go into a little more detail, the roadway will be 5.50m wide at the main intersections. A certain narrowness therefore which will encourage motorists to slow down. There will be a 1.80m sidewalk on one side of the road. The presentation of the works led to many questions from the public. Especially on the issue of cyclists. Indeed, the construction site does not provide for a cycle path along the RD111, as the EELV committee of Villeneuve-lez-Avignon pointed out in a letter sent to the mayor: “ where the LAURE law requires the creation of a secure adjoining road, the municipality responds by a simple signposting of a parallel cycle route on an already existing track open to allvehicles, cars and trucks included, without any restriction. »
Indeed, the sidewalk is made for pedestrians. ” The Department told us that it was not possible to make a cycle path on this section (…) We have little used parallel paths which avoid taking this very suggested path. On a fact of the calculation, there are 300 meters more to do compared to the RD111. It’s not insurmountable and it’s more secure“, justifies Rémy Bachevalier.
A ” Insufficient response from the town hall in the eyes of the committee, which considers that the cycling is in no way prioritized“. An opinion shared by a resident who stresses that soft developments will develop in the future. Deputy Rochefortais Alain Bertrand assures: ” We have no choice given the calibration of the roads and given the width of the sidewalks. It’s either pedestrians or bicycles. »
Mary Meunier