Tram Nord: for a “more coherent” route
Mario Kremser, Strasbourg :
“Following the unfavorable opinion on the North tram, the Eurometropolis has the opportunity to get its act together on this issue and favor a much more coherent route for Strasbourg. Indeed, this North tram will be more logical if it serves the city center of Strasbourg rather than bypassing it as was mentioned in the EMS project. For Schiltigheim, the need for a tram is logical because the buses are quickly crowded whether on line C3 or C9.
For a lower cost, we have two opportunities in Strasbourg for this project:
1) A departure from the Rotonde, this line which would start from an already existing terminus would make it possible to have a third tram line on the Rotonde-Les Halles section passing through the station tunnel. To continue to Schiltigheim, you should consider a disconnection just after Place des Halles, to reach the bus station, then Rue du Travail before arriving at Place de Haguenau.
2) A departure from Elsau: there too, the tram terminus already exists. This section would make the Montagne-Verte station a real connection hub and the tram would then use the station’s boulevards on its own site with optimized connections with the other structuring lines (Tram F/Bus G) before reaching the station central and continue towards Boulevard Wilson and reach Place de Haguenau. This project would surely be expensive, but would make it possible to have a greater share in the heart of the city. It would also guarantee a new two-line crossing on part of the tram network between Elsau and Laiterie.
3) A departure from Strasbourg Roethig: the project which can be emblematic of the Eurometropolis and this with a little courage. The opportunity to make a completely peaceful Schirmeck road here with a transformation of the Montagne-Verte/Place d’Ostwald sector finally achieved and which is long awaited. This project can be done with the opportunity of the closure of Auchan de la Montagne-Verte, the opportunity to establish here the terminus of this tram which would allow a real connection with the TER/REME in Strasbourg Roethig. The line could then either turn at Place d’Ostwald to join line B at Elmerfost – this would make it possible to have two lines on the Laiterie-Elmerfost axis with a service that will finally become important again for Elsau – or continue towards the Montagne-Verte station, continuing on the Schirmeck road. Priority neighborhoods would finally be served, the FCOSK 06 club would have a nearby tram station and public establishments would finally have real accessibility. After the Montagne-Verte station, it would take up the idea of the route mentioned in 2. We would have a real tram line meeting several expectations and responding to ecological and social issues.
It is up to the Eurometropolis to have the audacity and the opportunity to develop the real tram of tomorrow without forgetting the REME on the Strasbourg-La Wantzenau axis with real strong service to the Schiltigheim-Bischheim and Hoenheim stations. »
