Widening the A57 reduces traffic jams
While the 2026 TomTom index shows rising congestion in most French cities, the Toulon area stands out as a clear exception.
The observation is clear for the majority of drivers in France: getting around is becoming increasingly difficult. The latest index published by TomTom, a specialist in geolocation technologies, paints a bleak picture of urban mobility for the year 2026. Of the 29 French cities studied, 22 are seeing their situation worsen, with a notable increase in time lost in traffic jams. This trend is part of a global context where the congestion rate has climbed by five points, from 20% to 25%. Yet, in the midst of this saturated traffic, Toulon stands out spectacularly.
A TOULON EXCEPTION IN FIGURES
The collected data is clear: the Var prefecture is not following the national trend. Better yet, it is reversing it. The city's congestion index fell from 34% to 31%. If a few other major cities like Paris, Grenoble, Rouen, Brest, or Nice manage to stabilize or limit the damage, Toulon achieved a unique performance in 2025: it is the only city in the study where average travel times for road users actually decreased.
THE DECISIVE IMPACT OF WIDENING THE A57
This smoother traffic flow is not the result of chance, but the direct consequence of major infrastructure developments. The widening of the A57 highway east of Toulon, notably the transition to a 2x3 lane configuration over about seven kilometers, has radically changed the situation. This section, historically known as a bottleneck for Var traffic, has seen its capacity to absorb traffic increase significantly. According to the analysis by TomTom shared by VINCI Autoroutes, this investment is the key factor explaining the improvement in daily travel times for thousands of commuters.
THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF INFRASTRUCTURES
This result highlights the importance of modernizing road networks in managing urban flows. While many French metropolises face endless roadworks or constrained networks struggling to absorb demand, Toulon is now reaping the "dividend" of its highway works. However, the index points out that while infrastructure plays a major role, intelligent network operations remain a key challenge for the future of urban mobility. For now, users in the Toulon area can be satisfied with spending less time behind the wheel, a luxury that has become rare in France. •
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Photo Philippe OLIVIER.