From June to November, the city of Amiens experienced the closure of rue Salvador Allende. At a public meeting, the town hall announced that the closure was permanent.
On the occasion of the public meeting organized this Monday, November 18, the City of Amiens announced
officially the definitive closure of Salvador Allende Avenue to motorized traffic. This
decision, the result of an experiment carried out from June to November 2024 and supported by a study
rigorous impact assessment carried out by the independent firm MobiSim, marks a major step in
the Hotoie park rehabilitation project. The objective is to restore the historical unity of the park
while responding to the ecological challenges of today and tomorrow. The first works,
planned for 2025, will kick off this ambitious transformation, to offer a
greener space, attractive and accessible to all.
Bypassing Salvador Allende Street does not increase travel time
To clarify this choice and guarantee that all the conditions were met to reunite the park,
an experiment to close Salvador Allende Avenue was carried out between June and
November 2024, accompanied by an in-depth impact study. This rigorous analysis has
made it possible to evaluate the effects on vehicle flows and travel times.
The results of this study, carried out by an independent firm, are clear and reassuring:
Stability of travel times: A limited increase from 30 seconds to 2
minutes during peak hours, with good absorption of flows by the network
surrounding.
A controlled redistribution of traffic: Secondary axes, such as Jean Jaurès and
Bicêtre, have recovered a share of the traffic (30 to 45%), without major congestion.
A positive impact on certain axes: A significant reduction in traffic on the Pré Forêt Fédérés axis (-25% to -65%), improving local fluidity.
“While this data confirms the feasibility and relevance of the closure, it is
understandable that certain motorists, residents or traders may perceive it
as a constraint in their daily life.
To support these changes, several adjustments have been made or are planned
such as the reprogramming of lights, the reopening of lanes on certain axes like Mendes
France, and specific arrangements (left turn, right turn)” announces the town hall of Amiens.
These adjustments will continue to be evaluated and adapted according to the needs of users, the objective
being to make this transition as smooth as possible. The City of Amiens will also remain
listening to the concerns of merchants close to the park and strengthening its commitment to
work alongside them so that this transformation fully supports their activity.
Work in the Hotoie park
From the start of 2025, work to rehabilitate the Hotoie park will begin with
the developments of phase 0, at the entrance to the park. This work will include:
- The arrangement of the triangles aimed at improving the functionality and aesthetics of these
spaces; - The requalification of the zoo parking lot to better meet the needs of visitors;
- The transformation of Salvador Allende Avenue into a transitional space dedicated to
soft mobility and pedestrians, promoting peaceful circulation in the park.
These first developments aim to realize the vision of a unified, attractive and adapted space
meet the expectations of residents, while contributing to the environmental well-being of the city.
This project is part of a long-term process. At each stage, the City of Amiens
is committed to remaining attentive to users, continuing to analyze and respond to feelings
expressed.
The objective is clear: a unified park, greener, more accessible and attractive, and circulation
adapted surroundings, for a city that meets today's expectations while
preparing for the challenges of tomorrow. - The Hotoie park requalification project aims to restore the unity and attractiveness of this
- emblematic space of Amiens. Historically, the park was unified, but the creation of the avenue
- Salvador Allende in the 1970s, at a time when priority was given to traffic
- automobile, has fragmented the fleet, reducing its coherence and accessibility.
- Today, this park, which has not undergone any real restructuring for more than 70 years, shows
- signs of aging and no longer fully meets the expectations of Amiens residents, in particular
- facing contemporary issues. By reuniting the park, the City of Amiens corrects this “scar of
- History” to offer residents a safer, more welcoming space in harmony with the
- commitments of the municipal team in favor of the ecological transition.
- This new unified and green space will strengthen biodiversity and provide a peaceful environment. With the
- planting of more than 800 trees, developments promoting biodiversity and spaces
- designed for well-being, this project will restore Hotoie to its role as the “green lung” of Amiens,
- a city that has always placed nature in the city at the heart of its priorities and its identity.
