Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, officially launched the construction work this Thursday for the development of the link between the western exit of the Voie Mathis and the A8.
This is a flagship project: now that the tram has been delivered, it is the most anticipated project by the people of Nice. For 86% of those surveyed, it is considered a priority project (for 58%) or important (28%).
The Importance of this Link
The creation of a link between the western exit of the Voie Mathis and the entry of the A8, through an underground structure, is a major project for the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. This new infrastructure will streamline traffic in this area of Nice and further improve the living environment of residents in these western neighborhoods. The Grenoble Road, more tranquil due to a reduction in significant transit traffic towards the A8 and the Mercantour Boulevard, will benefit from new greening developments.
Aligned with the Nice Saint-Augustin multimodal exchange hub project, this initiative will enable the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis to meet the objectives of its 2025 Territorial Climate Air Energy Plan, enhancing the ecological footprint and reducing CO2 emissions.
Benefits and Advantages
The expected benefits include:
- Improvement of the traffic conditions for the people of Nice and living conditions for residents of western Nice.
- Smoother traffic on the Voie Mathis: 9 minutes less during peak hours on travel time between the Grinda exit and the entrance to the A8.
- 13,000 fewer vehicles/day on Grenoble Road and GRINDA Avenue due to reduced transit traffic towards the A8 and the Mercantour Boulevard.
- Avoiding crossings with the tram line 2 and the developments around it (housing, economic activities, etc.).
- Significant environmental benefits thanks to improved surface traffic; this major project supports our Climate Plan objectives:
- A 30% reduction in greenhouse gas and atmospheric pollutant emissions around the western exit thanks to traffic fluidity,
- Reduction in noise pollution for residents by 6 to 9 decibels due to the installation of noise barriers and acoustic paving on Grinda Avenue.
- Planting of 150 trees, 10,000 shrubs, and creation of over 2,500 m² of new green spaces thanks to the liberation of areas on Grenoble Road.
In Two Phases
The project will be carried out in two phases, starting with the creation of a diversion for the two lanes of the northern roadway of the Voie Mathis towards the Saint Augustin Station, passing by the so-called “military quay” at the base of the retaining wall of Edouard Grinda Avenue.
The two created lanes will remain on the surface along the railway tracks, then will go underground beneath the station forecourt, Grinda Avenue, and Grenoble Road, reemerging after the Nicot de Villemain intersection.
Phase 2 involves extending the work from phase 1, including:
- a resumption in open trench then covered trench of the exit ramp from phase 1.
- a bifurcation with a single-lane exit ramp allowing access to the Mercantour Boulevard.
- a section in a curved covered trench followed by a single-lane exit ramp leading directly to the entrance ramp on the A8 motorway towards Cannes.
The work is expected to take place in 2025-2026.
