in Paris, residents of rue Orfila denounce an axis that has become dangerous

Since Avenue Gambetta in the 20th arrondissement of Paris was made one-way, Rue Orfila has served as a transfer route. Residents complain about the risk of accidents and have sent a petition to the town hall.

Four years after the introduction of a new traffic plan for Avenue Gambetta in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, residents regularly complain about its consequences. This time, it is the residents of rue Orfila who are stepping up to the plate.

This street parallel to Avenue Gambetta is now popular with motorists who wish to go to Place Gambetta from the Pelleport metro station.

“No cars, except service vehicles, are allowed to go down Avenue Gambetta. As a result, people going up Rue Pelleport are forced to pass Rue Orfila at full speed,” explains Eshan Nauzeer, manager of the restaurant La Confident at the microphone of BFM Paris Île-de-France. “Since they changed the direction of traffic, they put a pedestrian crossing right in front and there is not a speed bump.”

A petition has been launched

A young resident, Sasha, recounts how she was almost hit by a motorist. “It was right here, at the orange pedestrian crossing. The car was coming very quickly so it didn't see me, it was really in the middle of the road. At the last moment, it saw me, so I almost going through it, I was very scared, she insulted me, she rolled down the window, it was my fault, basically,” she says.

“The area is tiny, the cars take up all the road, it’s parked haphazardly too. The trash cans are no longer even collected because the cars park haphazardly,” adds the young woman.

A resident launched a petition which collected around sixty signatures to demand a change and security for this section. It was sent to the town hall.

“We received the request from the person who launched the petition. We are studying other options, including changing the direction of traffic,” says Éric Pliez, mayor of the 20th arrondissement of Paris, to BFM Paris Île-de-France.