An 8.3 kilometer route on its own site along the former N 34;
thirty minutes to connect the RER stations of Val-de-Fontenay (Val-de-Marne) to Chelles-Gournay (Seine-et-Marne);
one stop every 500 meters, or 17 stations;
one passage every three minutes during rush hour;
40,000 travelers every day: here is an outline of the “Bords de Marne” bus project which will serve seven municipalities by 2030, including four from Seine-Saint-Denis (Fontenay-sous-Bois, Le Perreux-sur- Marne, Neuilly-Plaisance, Neuilly-sur-Marne, Gagny, Gournay-sur-Marne and Chelles).
The investment of 185 million euros will make this means of public transport much faster, more reliable and efficient, by isolating it from the vagaries of traffic.
However, the layout presented as a great alternative to the car raises serious concerns, as shown by the three-month public consultation which has just ended.
It made it possible to collect 867 opinions on the developments carried out by Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), the State, the region and the three departments concerned.
“The N 34 is always busy during rush hour.
Removing two lanes of traffic will be a disaster, ”warns a resident.
"I am against the removal of traffic lanes," adds another.
In the latest bursts of observations filed in February, just before the end of the consultation, opponents have spoken out against any idea of withdrawing from a line reserved for road traffic.
Between 17,000 and 29,000 vehicles per day
Currently, the old national is a wide 2x2 lanes, which connects Seine-et-Marne to Paris and digests between 17,000 and 29,000 vehicles per day, depending on the sections.
In order to be able to develop a bus line on its own site, local authorities are counting on sharing public space and reducing the space required for cars.
The project provides for the elimination of one or two out of the four dedicated traffic lanes on certain sections.
For example, at Neuilly-Plaisance, nothing has yet been decided but two tracks are being studied: either a lane reserved for vehicles in each direction, or two lanes towards Paris and only one towards Chelles.
Christian Demuynck, the mayor (LR) of Neuilly-Plaisance, is up against any change that would aggravate traffic jams.
“Currently, it is already completely blocked between 7 and 9 am and in the evening, it is the same, he explains.
There are a lot of vehicles just crossing.
If they can no longer drive on the ex-N 34, they will avoid it, flow into secondary roads and clog the city.
The elected official is also worried about the combined effect with the large influx of new residents in the Maison-Blanche district in Neuilly-sur-Marne.
In Neuilly-Plaisance, where the former N 34 is already regularly blocked ... DR
Christian Demuynck, the mayor (LR) of Neuilly-Plaisance, is up against any change that would aggravate traffic jams.
“Currently, it is already completely blocked between 7 and 9 am and in the evening, it is the same, he explains.
There are a lot of vehicles just crossing.
If they can no longer drive on the ex-N 34, they will avoid it, flow into secondary roads and clog the city.
The elected official is also worried about the combined effect with the large influx of new residents in the Maison-Blanche district in Neuilly-sur-Marne.
"A project that respects the living environment"
The nightmare scenario illustrates the difficulty of moving from a transit axis to an urban boulevard.
It is even a textbook case for Ile-de-France Mobilités.
The Grand Paris Grand Est territory also alerted, on February 9 by mail, the president of IDFM, Valérie Pécresse (Libres!).
Christian Demuynck also wrote to the regional transport union at the end of January, indicating that he conditioned the bus itself to the extension of metro line 11, between Rosny-sous-Bois and Noisy-Champs (Seine-et-Marne).
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Among the 867 observations, however, many are those which support the bus on its own site and approve the creation of a cycle path along the route, between the two RER stations of Fontenay and Chelles.
A project "respectful of the living environment of local residents" breathes a local resident, who continues: "I hope that the environment will be improved by the arrangement of trees and greenery all along this axis.
"
Others go so far as to propose solutions by suggesting "the installation of intelligent traffic lights that can make traffic flow as smooth as possible".
