As the public utility inquiry into the second tramway line ends on January 20, the socialist officials, including Patrick Allemand, held a press conference this Thursday to present their point of view.
It is necessary to remind that in its current configuration, the second tram line would have 17 stops, including 2 termini in west Nice (CADAM, terminal 2 of the airport) and one in east Nice at the old port. The particularity of this line is having underground sections, which makes it the first “metram” in France. In theory, this route should serve 210,000 people for an estimated budget of 758 million euros.
However, the socialist officials have identified certain problematic points in the initial project and suggest solutions:
The irregular level of service
Out of the 15 stations identified (excluding termini), there are 6 stations less than 500 meters apart and 10 others ranging from 560 to 900 meters apart. For the socialist officials, these distances are too long. According to them, the stations on the Parc Phoenix – Mediterranean University Center section need to be restructured, and a station should be added between Fabron and René Cassin.
A minimized underground route
With examples of previous projects, the socialist officials cite the unstable nature of the city’s subsoil. Some underground sections will have to cross watercourses: the Mantega, under boulevard Gambetta, the Saint-Michel and the Saint-Barthélemy, under rue de Dante. The tunnel could block water flow and cause groundwater to rise. The risk is even greater because many old buildings in this area do not have solid foundations. As a result, the socialists propose delaying the underground entrance at rue du Congrès. An option that would eliminate 1.3 km of tunnel and save 130 million euros.
Remove the terminus at Place de l’Ile de Beauté
For the socialist officials, it is necessary for tramway line 2 to connect with Riquier station. For this project, they propose several solutions. Firstly, to extend the underground section under the old port towards Riquier, without causing disturbances to businesses from the construction. The costs for this extension would be offset by the savings made from the delayed entry on rue du Congrès. If this option proves infeasible, the socialists propose routing the tracks on the surface, avoiding rue Arson.
In addition to these major issues, the socialist officials express some reservations about unnoticed points. The tunnel boring machine, used for underground construction, will require 500-meter-long clear spaces at the tunnel’s entrances and exits. Daily, the construction will throw 80 trucks of rubble into the traffic. Another question is the compatibility of the rolling stock between the two routes. While tramway line 1 operates via catenaries, line 2 is expected to use ground-level power supply, which will eventually pose problems with the interchangeability of train sets and managing two different sets of equipment.
