For the Vice President of the PACA region, “Minister Perben’s decision regarding the Nice bypass is a very political non-decision that allows everyone to express their satisfaction since each one can interpret it in their own way: those who support the widening in place as well as those who support the construction of a tunnel. For our part, we consider the on-site widening as the only financially realistic solution and the quickest to implement.”
“The fact that the ultimate decision is deferred pending the outcomes of an additional study does not particularly reassure us. I call on all those in favor of the on-site widening solution to increase their vigilance.”
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) also wished to respond: “Dominique Perben, Minister of Transport, Equipment, Tourism, and the Sea, in agreement with Christian Estrosi, has just made his decision on the continuation of the Nice Bypass project. The Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry expresses satisfaction on three essential points:
1. The opportunity and necessity of the project have been confirmed.
2. The continuation of the project to the east of the Var river (from Paillon to Saint Isidore), recognized by all as a priority, has been decided.
3. Equally important, studies on the surroundings of the A8 motorway will continue in parallel, to preserve the possibility of realizing both short and long-term solutions in the future.
Regarding this last decision, it appears necessary that these studies concern the entire route of the long solution presented during the public debate. This would not prejudge the future realization of the project to the west. However, and this is essential, they would allow for the reservation of the necessary rights-of-way in urban planning documents, as provided by the Territorial Planning Directive of the Alpes Maritimes.”
“This precautionary measure had been defended by the Nice Côte d’Azur CCI, professional unions, business clubs, and the Union for Enterprise of Alpes Maritimes during the public debate which ended last February. It is crucial in our view to ensure the feasibility of this new infrastructure and thus to preserve the future of our department.”
“The studies conducted during the public debate have shown that the congestion of the A8 between Antibes and Nice seems inevitable by 2020 without a new major highway project. And this, even with a very proactive policy of public transport development, coupled with an ambitious program for the elimination of bottlenecks on the road network.”
“In recent years, incidents on the A8 have increased exponentially, causing particularly significant traffic jams. The volume of congestion has been multiplied by six between 1998 and 2003. We now hope that the program of studies which integrates the entire route will be defined very quickly so that they can be launched as soon as possible. We hope that this program will include the different solutions and in particular the long solution (from Paillon to Mougins) which we support. Indeed, this appears to be the best in terms of safety, fluidity, accessibility, environment, and urban planning.”
