After the end of construction, the A57 could remain at 70 km/h

In order to guarantee the safety of teams and users, these interventions systematically require traffic modifications. However, to limit traffic disruption, operations take place at night during the week, from Monday to Friday between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. An update with Mathilde Froment, deputy director of A57 operations at VINCI Autoroutes.

GREATER FLUIDITY

With the opening of the third lane of traffic between the Hyères interchange and the entrance to Toulon, the 110,000 motorists traveling on the A57 have noticed a major improvement in their driving conditions, as Mathilde Froment confirms: 'Indeed, the first feedback from users concerns a greater fluidity of traffic, especially during peak hours, obviously except for exceptional events such as an accident or a breakdown'. The deputy director of A57 operations at VINCI Autoroutes adds: 'We feel this improvement off the highway as we also record better traffic flow at city entrances and at the entrances to shopping centers, as every motorist has been able to see when going to Grand Var, for example. I experienced this myself when going to Grand Var on the first day of the sales'!

Ultimately, between the motorists' impressions and the personal perception of the VINCI Autoroutes employees who use the A57 daily to commute to work, the assessment proves positive quite apart from any statistical study. Indeed, we will have to wait a few more weeks before drawing up a more detailed picture of traffic conditions.

FEWER TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

'We are in the process of doing this and we will communicate the results as soon as we have the green light from the préfecture du Var. However, we already have some tangible elements, such as the number of narrowings (or regulations) at the entrance to the Toulon tunnel coming from La Seyne-sur-Mer, when we pinch the traffic to slow it down in the tunnel. This "pinch" has been used less in recent weeks, which demonstrates greater fluidity of traffic after the tunnel in the Marseille - Nice direction,' the young woman specifies. In the meantime, the final works are continuing as the A57, along its entire length between the exit of Toulon and the Hyères junction (A570), remains a construction zone, as Mathilde Froment recalls: 'Indeed, it remains a construction zone marked by yellow paint on the ground. There is still the resurfacing layer to be laid, signaling, then switching from yellow paint to white paint, etc. For the laying of the final layer, which will mark the end of the project, we are waiting for the green light from the services of the préfecture du Var. Indeed, we will have to take into account their requirements regarding the methods of the construction site, which must have the least impact possible and take into account users and the weather. Because, for good quality of the wearing course, we need good weather. We are considering this operation between mid-February and March, preferably on a weekend, which gives us a wider working range than during the week. Then, State services will conduct an inspection to determine the highway quality of the route. This will require various checks, and pending the final decision of the préfecture du Var, the A57 will remain a construction zone limited to 70 km/h.' Regarding the speed limit on the future route, it will be the one applied on highways and will ultimately depend on a prefectoral decision. But the préfet du Var did not hide, during the opening of the third lane to cars, that he was leaning towards a speed limit of 70 km/h, which is the same speed as during the works.

VINCI Autoroutes, a company anchored in the varois territory

Through the Fondation d’entreprise VINCI pour la Cité, the concession company of the A57 participates directly in financing local associations. Its active arm is therefore the Fondation VINCI pour la Cité, created in 2002, which supports associative projects that provide solutions in favor of the social and professional integration of the most disadvantaged people. It also encourages deserving and often original initiatives as close as possible to the territories where VINCI companies operate, and concretely illustrates the Group's desire to be a sustainable partner for the citizens and communities for which it designs, builds, and manages numerous structures and infrastructures. Moreover, Salvador Nunez, Directeur Opérationnel of the A57, promised that VINCI Autoroutes would remain an active partner of local associations, even after the completion of the A57 widening works, which are due to end during the first half of this year. In this regard, the corporate foundation presented two checks to associations working for the integration of people in precarious situations (see our article in the Toulon section). Today, the network of VINCI Foundations and Funds includes 16 patronage structures in France and internationally. They systematically provide double support. First, financial aid, and second, commitment from VINCI group employees. To date, more than 5,255 projects have been supported, more than 9,055 employees have committed, and more than 73 million € in aid has been awarded.