RTL Today - French border traffic: A3 motorway to be expanded to three lanes by 2030

Luxembourg's Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, has assured that the widening of the A3 motorway will be completed in just over six years.

The project, which commenced in April 2022, aims to expand the A3 to 2x3 lanes along its entire length, totalling 12 kilometres from the French border to the Croix de Gasperich, by the end of 2030.

A true aorta between Luxembourg and France, the continuous motorway axis formed by the A3 and the A31 is used daily by nearly 90,000 French cross-border workers and residents. The artery is so clogged during rush hours that both countries are working hard on expanding.

This development comes amidst concerns raised by LSAP deputies Mars Di Bartolomeo and Yves Chruchten regarding the future toll on the A31bis, projected to cost motorists up to €170 per month. Minister Backes revealed that Luxembourg did not intervene in the decision to implement this toll on the French side and did not assess its potential impact on cross-border traffic.

Meanwhile, on the A31bis on the French side, plans are underway to alleviate congestion on the A31 towards Thionville. Minister Clément Beaune recently formalised the future route of the A31bis, with construction set to commence on the 8-kilometre section linking France to Luxembourg, slated for completion by 2030.

Meanwhile, the planned third lane on the widened A3 will be reserved for buses and carpooling, significantly increasing capacity. Minister Backes suggested extending this prioritisation to the A31 in France to further enhance cross-border mobility.

Where is the A3 expansion taking place?

Progress on the A3 expansion is well underway, with several milestones expected in the coming years.

Widening works and reconstruction efforts are set to be completed between the Croix de Gasperich and the Berchem Area by autumn 2024. Additionally, work on the Livange Viaduct and the construction of a wildlife crossing at the French border is scheduled for completion by 2025.

Optimising traffic flow is very clearly linked to rail and bus lines, the minister further explains in response to the two ministers, without naming specifics.

France and Luxembourg have agreed to "significantly increase the capacity of the Metz - Thionville - Luxembourg-city railway line by 2030".

The money pot provided for in the agreement for projects in France is 440 million euros for rail and 20 million euros for public road transport infrastructure projects. These French projects are 50% co-financed by Luxembourg.