Expansion of the Nice Tramway System
Work to begin in earnest in 2015
With the T1 line already up and running from the north to the south of the city, and transporting some 90-100,000 people per day, work has now begun on the T2 line.
The new line will run from east to west across Nice, from the airport all the way to Port of Nice. With 11.3km of track and 20 stops, the new line will also include a 3.2km long tunnel with 4 underground stops that will allow travel through the Old Town of Nice without disruption to the style and character in that part of the city.
In preparation for the work the city has already completed an archaeological diagnosis to ensure there are nothing of historically significance in the areas where they are carrying out the work. The aim is to ensure as little disruption as possible to public areas and to the history and culture of the city.
Work on the underground stations is due to begin this month, along with some of the overground preparation. Traffic diversions are likely later in the year but as the tram line will follow current bus lines it is hoped that there will be minimal disruption to traffic flow.
The environmental impact of the new tramway is of particular interest at the moment with new legislation coming in to play that aims to reduce the number of diesel vehicles in the city during peak pollution times. It is estimated that the tram will help reduce the number of cars in Nice by 5.3%, thus helping reduce air pollution by between 15-17.5%.
Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice, says "Everything that I have proposed aims to make our city more beautiful. We must value its environment and its heritage while equipping clean, sustainable technologies.”
And in accordance with this there will be a total of 2,400 trees planted along the line which will create a new green space within the city, similar to the current Promenade du Paillon. Work is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2016. For more information on the works and to keep up to date with progress you can visit the official website.
