Major developments are underway on the A31 motorway between Metz and Luxembourg, including the introduction of tolls and plans for a new tunnel under Florange, as announced by Moselle Prefect Laurent Touvet.

At a recent press conference, the Prefect of Moselle, Laurent Touvet, gave a number of details about works on the new A31.

Touvet confirmed that motorists will soon have to pay to travel from Metz to Luxembourg via the motorway and that the route selected for the expansion was indeed variant F4, which will bypass Thionville to the west through a deep tunnel under Florange.

This will create a new 7.9-kilometre section. From Metz, vehicles can take the A30 motorway, widened to three lanes in each direction, then switch to the new motorway, including the 2.2 km-long tunnel under Florange, at the Sainte Agathe interchange. The tunnel will rejoin the A31 to the west of Thionville at the 'étoile' interchange.

From there, the A31 will become a three-lane motorway all the way to Luxembourg. The entire project is expected to cost between €700 and €900 million.

A toll of €8 per day

The creation of a toll booth will "make it possible to finance the project more quickly", according to the Prefect. The estimated cost of a Metz-Luxembourg journey is €4, or €8 for a return trip.

Further broken down, the costs are €2 for the tunnel and €2 for the section north of Thionville.

Touvet further explained that it will be a free-flow toll, meaning no barriers will be installed to avoid additional congestion. Number plates will be scanned and payments can be made digitally, as is the case on the A4 in Boulay.

There might be a season ticket for cross-border commuters with "a reduction of up to 30% of the price", according to Touvet. The introduction of a flexible fare, meaning a more expensive fare at peak times, is also under consideration.

Timetable unveiled

The timetable for the works has been unveiled: the public enquiry will begin in 2024 and is scheduled to conclude in 2025. The 'Declaration of Public Utility' is expected in the second half of 2026.

The concession is due to be awarded in 2028, with work starting in 2029 and finishing in 2032. In other words, two years after completion of the widening of the A3 on the Luxembourg side.

A fourth lane in the making?

French authorities want to coordinate with Luxembourg to test a "dedicated carpooling lane". On the section between Thionville and the border, in addition to widening the motorway to three lanes in each direction, the project thus also includes the construction of a lane reserved for public transport on the hard shoulder. The aim is to promote public transport with cross-border coaches.

RTL