Strasbourg: where is the budget of €268 million for the Northern tram, passing through Avenue des Vosges, going?

Since September 9, the Northern trams project has entered the definitive phase of the public inquiry. Six weeks when the residents of the Eurometropolis can send their contribution to an independent commission of inquirywho then issues an opinion, which may be favorable, doubtful or unfavorable.

A topic that is being debated, especially in Bischheim, against the project, but also in Strasbourg. In our town, the corridor on avenue des Vosges does not pass for challenge, united in a coalition between Jean-Philippe Vetter (LR) to Catherine Trautmann (PS). In the reviews, a component relates to the overall project budget, described as ” extraordinary » according to Thibaud Philipps, mayor of Ilkirch.

Indeed, as part of this public inquiry, The City and the Eurometropolis (EMS) have publicly released a large number of documents detailing the project. Among them, one brings together the projected costs for the North tram, that is his budget. Dive quickly into the figures for a substantial project, in just a few questions.

What is the total cost of the project?

Last December, thunder for the Northern tram: from 140 million euros, the slate rose to 268 million without tax. The opposition is up in arms, accusing the EMS and the City of burning the property. Poor financial management, a hidden agenda, an ideological vision: the opposition was quick to criticize the financial side of the project.

On the side of the Strasbourg majority, the increases are explained by inflation, which increased the budget from 140 million to 161 million euros. Then, since the 268 million includes the entire project: the costs of networks, engineering and support measures such as the Haguenau park. The cost then rises to 224 million euros, not forgetting the 44 million euros of rolling stock. And bam! That’s 268 million euros.

But for Thibaud Philipps, who spoke at a press conference organized on September 11, the budget would even rise to 317 million euros. In question: 37 million euros for undisclosed related activitiesin particular the destruction of the highway ramp and subsequent reconstruction, or the repair of the Saint-Charles bridge in Schiltigheim.

To this calculation, it sends the 12 million euros for the transformation of the Les Halles department [10,8 selon la plaquette de l’EMS, considéré comme un projet à part du tram Nord par l’Eurométropole, ndlr] ; so we reach 317 million. The budget varies according to those who comment on it, but the 268 million euros may be revised upwards in the future : this estimate dates back to July 2023, and certain activity costs may have increased.

Who pays what?

Of that 268 million euros, not all communities pay the same share. Surprisingly, the Eurometropolis contributes 47.5% of the total budget, while the municipalities contribute 2.5%.. An effort also supported mostly by Strasbourg (91%), Schiltigheim and Bischheim only participating with 8% and 1% respectively.

For the math people at the back of the room, there is still 50% participation. And the CTS is paying the remaining bill, as it covers half of the total funding of the Northern trams project. It should still be noted that since 2019, the CTS has been a local public company, with 80% by the Eurométropole and 20% by the Grand Est Region.. So overall, the Northern tram project is financed almost exclusively by the Eurométropole.

How are the costs distributed?

According to the (very) short budget document available on the public research websitethe budget is divided into several expenses. If we don’t count the 44 million euros for mobile stock, we have 224 million euros left. In this budget, 83% is intended for the tramway and its equipment, or more than 202 million euros.

The other work is related to specific improvements, such as creating a car park with 290 spaces and pedestrianizing the Bischwiller road (around 7.3 million euros for each project).rearrange Haguenau square (around 5 million euros) or even improve connections to the M35 (around 22 million euros).

What is the biggest cost on the Northern tram?

In the 268 million euros of expenditure, some of them are substantial: the nearly 35 million dedicated to work on tram tracks and platformsmore than 26 million for intellectual services [études, communication, ingénierie, ndlr] or nearly 20 million reserved for works of art. That of course, without counting the 44 million to buy rails and everything that allows the trams to run.

But since the North tram is intended to completely disrupt the urban space in the three city districts of the Eurometropolis, logically the surface development work will cost the most, with 67 million euros. In total, 52 million are reserved for the various traffic routes, almost 5 million for green areas and more than 10 million for the management of obstacles and various costs.

How much money does the project provide to compensate traders?

Since it was first announced, the Northern trams project has attracted fear. Such a project, with heavy work lasting several years, worries traders. Mainly those on Avenue des Vosges in Strasbourg, with the end of car movement, but also those on the road from Bischwiller to Schiltigheim, which become pedestrians.

The Eurometropolis then included a line in its budget “Compensation for economic damage to traders/artisans”. At the moment, it is estimated that the amount is slightly more than 8 million euros – see if it changes when the job starts.

What are the latest unusual charges?

To conclude, in every large project budget there are unusual costs. In detail:

• €5,599,000 for “ dynamic signs at intersections » [est-ce que les panneaux seront en mouvement ?, ndlr]. Hope it will be clearer what is now at Place de Haguenau.
• €6,000,000 for anti-vibration measures, to prevent disturbances from passing trams.
• €5,082,000 for estimated land acquisition costs and potential compensation.
• €405,000 for communication and consultancy work.
• €2,700 to investigate the presence of bats and insects in trees and to install nesting boxes and create artificial burrows for bats and reptiles.

With a budget of 268 million euros, the North tram is a flagship project of the environmental area of ​​Strasbourg and Schilikois, and of most of the Eurometropolis led by Pia Imbs. A very substantial project, which intends to significantly change part of the life of three municipalities, if it passes the stage of public inquiry. In the meantime, we must be alert to possible budget developments, which are certainly not at their final increase.