Strasbourg. The public inquiry report on the northern tram

The report of the commission of inquiry on the northern tram project, which was to connect the station and the Place de la République in Strasbourg to Bischheim via the west of Schiltigheim (see the description) was posted online by the prefecture of Bas-Rhin (see here).

The commission of inquiry, independent and composed of five qualified personalities, issued an unfavorable opinion after welcoming contributions from interested persons in October and November.

This document consists of a report of the public inquiry and particularly of the three meetings with the commission of inquiry, the elected officials of the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg and the technicians who worked on the project (48 pages).

Followed by the “conclusions of the commission of inquiry on the declaration of public utility” (DUP), the part of the document in which the five commissioners issue an “unfavorable opinion” over 68 pages. This unfavorable opinion makes it unlikely that this DUP will be established, a document produced by the prefectures and essential for authorizing development work on public roads and expropriations.

The document posted online is followed by the “Conclusions and reasoned opinion on the compatibility of the local intercommunity urban planning plan (PLUi) of the Eurometropole of Strasbourg and evaluation
environmental impact of the compatibility of the PLUi”. In this part (23 pages), the investigating commissioners also issue an unfavorable opinion. In summary, they believe that the northern tram and its pedestrian and cycling facilities will obstruct the current roads, listed as such in the PLUi, too much.

Then come the “Conclusions and reasoned opinion relating to the environmental authorization” on 12 pages. The investigating commissioners issued a “favorable opinion”, considering that the northern tram project did not cause major environmental damage or which would not have been compensated.

View the public inquiry report