Soon an underground route out of Monaco?
This Thursday morning, the elected officials of the Nice-Côte d’Azur Metropolis are called upon to vote on two deliberations aimed at accelerating the development of the roads entering and exiting the west of the Principality of Monaco.
To answer the “observation of the constant increase in the difficulties of access to Monaco via the A500 and by the RM6007 (Moyenne corniche)”, Metropolis and eMonegasque tat hope, on the basis of initial studies accelerated in 2013, to redesign the intersection where avenue prince Rainier-III and boulevard du Général-de-Gaulle intersect, described as “bottleneck”.
“We can’t wait another 10 years”
The first deliberation relates to the creation of a funnel (a single underground lane) in the up direction at the exit of the Rainier-III tunnel; the second, on the widening of the so-called “hospital” roundabout and the boulevard du Jardin Exotique.
A large-scale project which would require an investment of more than 30 million euros, according to the latest studies, financed up to 80% by the Principality of Monaco after the various parties have formalized a competition offer agreement.
If the mayor of Cap-d’Ail is now opposed to the creation of such a tunnel in his town, the chief of staff of Christian Estrosi, Bastien Nespoulous, justifies the urgency of carrying out this project for a question of security. “We can’t wait ten more years, and we won’t take risks ten more years.”
At the heart of the problem, the Rainier-III tunnel, which serves the Moyenne Corniche at the western exit of Monaco. A tunnel closed once a day on average in recent weeks (twice this Wednesday afternoon) in compliance with Mont-Blanc regulations. Thus, as soon as 100 meters of “queue rise” form, the authorities are obliged to close. In recent days, for example, a simple massive influx of motorists at the service station at the exit of the tunnel has created a traffic jam and forced the closure of the tunnel.
While the average traffic density has returned to the standards observed in 2019 (before the Covid pandemic), i.e. 105,000 vehicles entering and leaving Monaco daily, “procrastination is no longer appropriate” according to Bastien Nespoulous. The criminal liability of the French and Monegasque authorities and the safety of users are at stake. More accessory, their comfort. Especially since 45,000 so-called “commuter” employees return to work in Monaco every day.
Studies to complete
If Cap-d’Ail finds itself the epicenter of the site and will have to suffer inevitable inconveniences, it is the whole east of the department that suffers from the status quo of recent years.
The future motorway slip road being created in Beausoleil could relieve traffic congestion a little, but will not be enough. As for the east of the Principality, Bison was turned red for the next two years while major maintenance work on the water networks on the main artery from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin to Monaco.
So there is urgency. But for that still it is necessary to perfect studies of effectiveness which begin to date. This is also the subject of the two deliberations submitted today to the vote of the elected metropolitan officials, since they also aim to authorize the lifting of credit necessary for additional studies in a rocky sector, where the risk of landslide is real. .
If the works were to be started, the contracting authority for the hopper and the widening of the roundabout would fall to the Métropole; Monaco inheriting the upgrading of the Rainier-III tunnel. Work anticipated since a technical and evacuation gallery, parallel to the tunnel, was dug in 2019 by the State services.
Studies are also underway on the western entrance to the Principality, to relieve congestion during peak hours.
So many solutions that do not encourage people to use the car less…”We are still working with Monaco on a better rail service, to which is added the project to serve Cap-d’Ail and Fontvieille by a clean-propelled maritime shuttle.”ensures Bastien Nespoulous.
The anger of Xavier Beck, mayor of Cap-d’Ail
Tensions to come at the metropolitan council this morning? The mayor of Cap d’Ail is angry. He does not digest these two deliberations relating to work with which he does not agree and “which works to the detriment of our parking”he believes.
The balance sheet, according to him:35,000 euros of loss of revenue per year for our municipality and 18 months of hell of work to supposedly fight against traffic jams. All this, for a meager result, a time saving of about 4 minutes in traffic jams.” Xavier Beck is back. But if these questions are put to the vote this morning, mathematically due to the predominance of Nice over the Metropolis, he will lose.
The case took on an even more political dimension yesterday, with Xavier Beck sending a letter to the mayors of the Metropolis, in which he regrets “that the fundamental principles of our intercommunality, which are the spirit of consensus and respect for the communes” do not be respected.
The mayor criticizes the president of the Métropole, Christian Estrosi, for having kept these two deliberations on the agenda despite his requests for withdrawal and then “that the outcome of the vote is beyond doubt”. A betrayal for Xavier Beck. “It’s a State-to-State affair, and not the Métropole pot de fer against Cap-d’Ail pot de terre, retorts Bastien Nespoulous, chief of staff of Christian Estrosi. The Metropolis has always respected the municipalities and the mayors.”
“Since the creation of the Agglomeration Community, which later became Urban Community and then Metropolis, Nice Côte d’Azur has never imposed on a municipality an urban project to which the said municipality was opposed. If tomorrow Thursday [lire aujourd’hui], the two deliberations, recording the wishes of the Monegasque administration without the consent of the municipality of Cap-d’Ail, were to be adopted thanks to the majority of the elected metropolitan representatives of Nice, this will be a violation of the governance pact that we adopted airplanes”ignites Xavier Beck.