Par
Marie-Cécile Itier
Published on
Jan 20, 2025 at 7:00 a.m.
“In 2024, we had a investment record, with a substantial figure of €58,700,000, and these are investments made and paid for” rejoices Serge Rigal, president of the Lot Departmental Council.
Work which is in progress and will be completed, and others which will be launched in 2025. The opportunity to take an overview of all these projects which will shake up the Lot in 2025.
Redevelopment work on the Côte du Cluzel (RD 653) between Lot and Lot-et-Garonne
Highly anticipated, the Cluzel coast project, on the RD 653 which links Cahors to Lot-et-Garonne, is well and truly underway. The site area has been deforested. “If all goes well, the first road work will take place in the fall of 2025” announces Serge Rigal, for 6 months of construction. In the coming weeks, a pre-diagnosis of archaeological excavations will take place, the natural spaces (forest and wetland) destroyed by the construction site will be recreated and consultations for businesses will be launched in the spring.
Vayrac deviation
This Vayrac diversion project will continue throughout 2025 and there is still a work of art to be created. The work will continue in two stages with two levels of engineering structures, goods to be evacuated and complicated terrain.
The construction site of the Gourdon south entrance roundabout, the first stone of which was laid at the beginning of December, should be completed in part in 2025.
Around the bridges
The Touzac bridge, after several years of work (the bridge was closed in 2022 after the passage of a too heavy truck which damaged the structure), will reopen to traffic at the beginning of February 2025.
Scalded cat fears cold water. The Department of Lot will install, in partnership with that of Aveyron, a dynamic weighing system on the Cajarc bridgebetween the departments of Lot and Aveyron. Thanks to sensors installed in the roadway on each bank, the weight of vehicles using the bridge will be precisely determined. In the event of overtaking, a light panel will be triggered and photos will be taken to document the violation. This experiment will be implemented before next summer.
The replacement of the Castelfranc bridge is launched. A temporary bridge should be put in place in the summer, before the deconstruction of the current bridge begins. A long-term project since deconstruction alone should take 8 months.
Martel College
The reconstruction of Martel collegewhich dates from the 1960s, is another major project for 2025. The college, located on two sites, will be refocused on the main site (that of the current day school) for a capacity of 240 students. All spaces will be modernized following a bioclimatic design, and a new half-board with a capacity of 460 meals per day will be built. Construction of the new buildings will begin in the spring (lots are being allocated). At the same time, the college will benefit from a wood heating network. A project which in total should reach 7.5 million euros.
Aid to colleges has been very significant in recent years. The colleges of Salviac, Souillac, and Bagnac-sur-Célé have been equipped with photovoltaic roofs. For the years 2025 and 2026, it will be the turn of the colleges of Saint-Céré and Puy-l'Évêque. The Martel and Prayssac colleges will have a wood boiler room. In addition, the colleges of Figeac, Salviac and Souillac are also awaiting installation on a wood boiler network for the coming years.
Greenway
The Cahors-Arcambal portion of the Voie Verte will be delivered next spring, the wearing course remains to be completed, but this route has already been used by users for several weeks.
The year 2025 will see the start of the Cajarc-Larroque-Toirac and Bouziès-Tour-de-Faure sections.
-The departmental council is launching the feasibility study stage for the portion from Gagnac-sur-Cère to Tauriac in the Dordogne valley, work on which will then be carried out in 2026.
The VéLot cycle route plan will be expanded with the aim of connecting the Voies Vertes of the Dordogne and Lot valleys via Bouriane. The communities of municipalities are stakeholders in the project. Those of Cazals-Salviac and the Lower Lot Valley have initiated reflection while the Quercy Bouriane community of communes has initiated a bicycle link between Gourdon and Le Vigan.
Departmental archives
The new Departmental Archives building, located at the Maison des Œuvres in Cahors near the current archives, will soon be delivered. The work, started in March 2023, is being finished, for delivery in the coming weeks. However, the building will not be invested immediately, because it must enter a drying period of approximately one year to stabilize the building in terms of temperatures and humidity before being able to store the documents there in good conditions.
Energy transition
The Solar Lot operation, to help individuals install solar panels, is completed. It is no longer possible to submit new files, but those submitted before the deadline will be finalized and paid. In all, 1,200 applications were submitted in 2 years, representing installation aid of around 3 million euros for the people of Lot. Given the economic situation, no other direct aid has been put in place by the Department to take over from Lot Solaire, but the President of the Department assures him, they have “things in mind” to help the people of Lot in the transition energy. “The direct production of energy by the Lotois is now substantial, and it is something that will have to be further developed” specifies Serge Rigal.
Fibre
The major fiber connection project in the Lot is almost complete. “Outside Paris, the Lot will be on 5e department of France in terms of digital fiber coverage” rejoices Serge Rigal. In all 98% of Lotois covered by Lot Numérique are connected to fiber (97% of Lotois if we include Grand Cahors). There are only 2,000 homes left to equip.
Cahors rescue center
The construction site of new fire rescue center in Cahorswhich will be installed in the Regourd area at the northern entrance to the city, will start at 4e quarter 2025. This project has accumulated quite a delay. At the start of 2025, deforestation of the area is complete. Other steps, notably administrative, are necessary before the laying of the first stone. This new Cahors emergency center will also include a logistics platform for the department's 29 other emergency centers (vehicle repair workshop, equipment storage, etc.).
At the same time, the new Catus rescue center is currently under construction, and the inauguration is already planned for July 14, 2025.
Aid to municipalities and other structures
The departmental council will maintain its aid to municipalities. 82 projects for 6 million euros in grants were carried out. Many other projects are underway. Furthermore, the 3e edition of the Villages à Venir operation is launched, with 7 to 8 more municipalities which will be supported.
In addition, the Department will support housing through an envelope of 4 million euros for Lot Habitat, and will commit in the days to come to concrete implementation of the plan to adapt to change. climate change for farmers producing stone and pome fruits (to support in particular wine growers and nut growers in crisis). “Given the urgency of the situation, we should be there to pay them the first million euros in aid,” explains Serge Rigal.
Investments that will slow down after 2025 and an uncertain context
In 2022 and 2023, all investment projects have been completed.
In recent years, the Departmental Council's investments have doubled (the investment budget was around 30 million euros in 2015). These major investment efforts were made at the same time as significant debt reduction on the part of the Department.
These financial sources are due to drastic management required by the State in 2015, coupled with a cessation of work during the Covid years and an increase in DMTO (transfer rights for valuable consideration: taxes that the buyer must pay at the time to acquire an old house or apartment constituting the notary fees, which are paid to the Departments). Thus, in 2022, the Department was ready to restart the investment machine. “But now, for 2025, we will have to start slowing it down if we want to take our financial criteria into account,” continues Serge Rigal. Indeed, with 12 million euros of expenditure not compensated by revenue to which is added the threat of 8 million euros in budget cuts announced by the Barnier Government and of which elected officials have no longer had any news since the change of government, the Department is preparing to tighten its belt. These budgetary restrictions will have major repercussions on the years 2026 and 2027, years during which new projects may not be undertaken (those already launched will be continued) with a drop in the investment budget for the Department. “And whoever says a drop in work means a significant lack for local businesses” adds Serge Rigal.
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