Stretches of road are to be replaced by gardens and promenades, RUADHÁN MAC CORMAICwrites in Paris
THE BANKS of the Seine are to be reclaimed for the pedestrians of Paris, with cars banned from long stretches of road and replaced by promenades, botanical gardens, a flower market and a floating cafe.
Under plans radically to reshape the banks of the river by 2012, unveiled by Socialist mayor Bertrand Delanoë, a kilometre-long stretch of the left bank from the Musée d’Orsay to the Pont de l’Alma would be transformed into a park, footpath and cycle track. An archipelago of artificial islands is included in the plans.
The mayor also wants to change traffic patterns along the right bank, where about 40,000 vehicles roar down the two-lane street past some of the city’s most beautiful buildings every day.
“It’s about giving Parisians more opportunities for happiness,” Mr Delanoë said. “If we succeed in doing this, I believe it will profoundly change Paris.” The project, with city hall calls “the reconquest of the banks of the Seine”, has been a long-standing ambition for Mr Delanoë. The traffic lanes along the river, often criticised for blemishing the historic centre of the city but defended by motorists’ groups and many centre-right councillors, were built in 1967 and the current mayor won re-election in 2008 promising to shut them down. Mr Delanoë hopes his project will be completed by 2012 at a cost of €40 million.
Although the congested right bank won’t be completely closed to traffic, the mayor plans to turn it into an urban boulevard, with new traffic lights being added to slow down traffic and other measures encouraging drivers to choose alternative routes through the city. New bus routes would be added and more space would be made available to pedestrians and cyclists.
The most dramatic changes would take place on the left bank, where a long stretch of road would be given over to walking paths, new sports facilities, a flower market, botanical gardens and a floating cafe.
Since 2002, part of the right bank lane has been closed to traffic for five weeks in July and August to make room for Paris Plage, when sand and palm trees are shipped in to help Parisians make the most of the hot summer.
The lanes are also pedestrianised every Sunday, while in 2007 the mayor imposed a 50km/h speed limit to cut down on traffic.