While a public consultation on the redevelopment project of the Eiffel Tower district was launched between October 11 and November 17, the Paris municipality has just undertaken to review certain points this week, taking into account the criticisms made. by Parisians.
A total of 6,000 opinions were issued by the latter, via electronic public participation (PPVE), studied by two members of the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP). A participation as “abundant” as “confused”, with public meetings “marked by a strong tension”, underline these two guarantors, who explain that “the great majority of the participants – mainly residents – expressed their opposition to the project” .
Some concessions to make
So much so that the Parisian municipality – which had nevertheless defended its tooth and nail project at the beginning of November via Emmanuel Grégoire, the first deputy to the town hall of Paris in charge of town planning – ended up conceding to make some modifications to the initial project. But the substance of the project remains the same, with the almost pedestrianization of the Pont d’Iéna, called to become “the first green bridge in Paris” and the creation of a “green amphitheater” on the Place du Trocadéro, facing the Eiffel Tower.
Among the changes envisaged, the municipality now intends to “study new furniture to enhance the walk on the pedestrianized bridge”, while “the presence of many green bins on the Pont d’Iéna has been widely questioned. “. Another point to review: the use of concrete for the new pedestrian path of the Champs-de-Mars. Instead, “more permeable” materials should be used.
The Paris municipality also wants to “improve car connections”, especially between the 15th and 16th arrondissements, and think about a new plan, while residents are very worried about the closure of the Pont d’Iéna to traffic. To remedy this, two crossroads could be added “between the avenues of New York and Albert-de-Mun on the one hand, and rue Lenôtre on the other hand”, according to the team of Anne Hidalgo, which must be closer. of the Paris police headquarters to put this new scheme to work.
Finally, the issue of heritage, cleanliness, upkeep of green spaces, as well as the safety and occupation of public space was strongly addressed by critics of the project, who wish to have guarantees in place. these subjects. New clear information should thus be brought to the project in the coming weeks.