Lyon. This very busy street in Presqu’île will soon be car-free: what we know

End of tension. Lyon mayor Gregory Duce spilled the beans during a press conference in early January.

The selected environmentalist confirmed that the scenario of Rue de la République, between Cordeliers and Hôtel de ville, will become pedestrianized. This means that bus routes will be changed Grenette Street.

Pedestrian Republic Street

The axis connecting the rivers Rhône and Saône will therefore have to operate without car traffic. Details of the “pacification” project for the Presqu’île de Lyon should be announced by the Métropole de Lyon at the end of February.

“We chose sites that can be changed quickly by changing habits. More than 60% of respondents are in favor of a 100% pedestrianized rue de la République”, assures Grégory Doucet, EELV Mayor of Lyon.

scenario that provides Pedestrian separation of the northern road of Rue de la République and the creation of bus lanes on Rue Grenette was widely approved by Gregory Duce and Bruno Bernard, president of Greater Lyon, even before public consultation.

10,000 cars per day

Rue Grenette sees heavy traffic, 10,000 cars per day, nevertheless remains more modest than, for example, the banks of the Rhone. They will also be transformed by 2026 with the removal of several lanes.

This shopping street is also known for speeding, wild pedestrian crossings and numerous conflicts between cyclists, scooter users and drivers.

But where will thousands of drivers go if Rue Grenette becomes a double bus lane? They will soon be able to cross Presqu’île at Place Bellecour, even at the risk of traffic jams. Faced with this, selected environmentalists respond that they hope for a general reduction in car traffic in this sector of Lyon.

Avenue République will be reserved for pedestrians and cyclists from Cordeliers to Place des Terreaux. Currently, 1300 buses operate there every day, especially lines C3, C13, C14. The lack of bus/metro connections to Hôtel de ville station has already drawn criticism.

Bus traffic via Rue Grenette will take you to Quai de Saône at Quai Saint-Antoine.

Bus crossings at Place Bellecour will also be replaced. Metropolis needs to make room for the development of the Lyon Lane for cyclists, which will see the C20 and 40 terminals moved to the west of the square and the C12 changed sides.

The car-free rue Grenette and the pedestrian rue de la République are the subject of discussion.

The statement of the mayor of Lyon was not received unequivocally. Rue de Grenette and its shops, without car traffic and the end of buses in the Terreaux sector are scenarios that not all shopkeepers like.

Olivier Michel, president of the My Presqu’île traders’ association, said in a press release that he was frustrated by “one of the main sticking points of the project”.

This project threatens the well-watered and frequent use of the entire Terreaux/Bas des Pentes sector and risks isolating the flow of visitors from the hundreds of artisans and independent traders or brands in the sector. This project affects the mobility of travelers, visitors or customers, as well as companies and their employees who use or pass through these very useful public transport routes, which are different in terms of service and complement the routes of the A metro.

The selected project for the Presqu’île conversion and its schedule will be presented at the end of February 2023. The first works should start in 2023, with the first concrete measures in 2024 and the reorganization of the bus lines in 2025.

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