The future of the motorway, at the core of the Maine reconquest

The future of the road "scarface" along the Maine, was not evoked by the three architects selected on november 29th by the city council of Angers after a competition it launched last october about the redevelopment of the bank's river. Nevertheless, it will probably be at the center of their thoughts during the nine months to come. The mayor of Angers wants the present motorway to disappear. But nobody knows how : suppression or burying.

(Credit pictures Angers city)

Apparently, everybody agrees about the fact that the present situation cannot go on. Even with the new northern highway, the traffic has not vanished along the river and many inhabitants still continue to use the way. If that traffic doesn't slow down, the redevelopment of the bank is endangered because the cars and lorries will make the pedestrians run away. And the peaceful atmosphere along the Maine will only be a (costly) dream.

For that reason, the teams of architects will have to conceive a project easy to evolve over the years. But on one point, the city council looks determined : the urban scheme must be designed around the river. "All the cities, even the greatest like New York , are involved on a project centred around the water. And within twenty years many things will have changed", said Jean-Claude Antonini. First of all the cars, which could be electrical.