Before being used by bicycles, it saw exceptional convoys transporting pieces of the fuselage and wings of the A380, the very large Airbus carrier, pass through from 2004 to 2020. This 6.5km section of the former Large-Gauge Route (IGG) made it possible to transport these sections by road for more than fifteen years, from the port of Langon to the Jean-Luc Lagardère factory in Cornebarrieu, northwest of Toulouse. It has just changed its purpose: having been taken over by the Haute-Garonne department in April, it has been transformed into a cycle path and provides direct and secure access to the Bouconne forest from Toulouse, passing through the towns of Daux and Montaigut-sur-Save. The development work carried out by the local authority was completed on 13 September, leaving the way open to bicycles.
A coating of limestone gravel
This new cycle path is part of a larger project led since 2020 by the Haute-Garonne Department and Toulouse Métropole: the Express Cycle Network (REV). Made up of 14 high-level service “cycle routes”, the Toulouse REV should eventually serve 54 municipalities in the urban area and create a network of 440 km of continuous cycle paths, on dedicated sites and physically separated from the flow of vehicles for greater safety. REV 1 will thus make it possible to connect Castelnau d’Estretefonds, north of Toulouse, to Escalquens, in the far south. This municipality will also be the terminus of REV 11, which will leave from Mérenvielle, west of Toulouse, using this portion of the former Large-Gauge Route which has become a cycle path.
“The surface on this road was quite rough, more suitable for mountain bikes than for the standards of an express cycle network. We therefore took back part of the width of the road by laying limestone gravel which blends in perfectly with the environment and guarantees optimal traffic conditions for bikes travelling at 20 or 25 km/hour. This width of 4 m is ideal for travelling in both directions and overtaking safely,” explains Vincent Eche, deputy director of the roads department of the Haute-Garonne department.
“We are moving forward in sections”
The community has released an initial envelope of 53 million euros for this soft mobility project, which should enable it to deliver 50 km of REV by 2028. In a second phase, it will reach 100 km for a total budget of 100 million euros. “Land acquisitions take time and affect deadlines. To move faster, we are moving forward in sections, conducting the development work ourselves or entrusting project management to other communities. We started with the simplest routes and little by little, we are making progress,” emphasizes Vincent Eche.
A campaign promise by Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc since 2014, the REV was originally supposed to be fully operational in 2026. The schedule has been postponed and Toulouse Métropole, which is responsible for 290 km, is now aiming for 2030 for its commissioning. The two communities are moving forward at their own pace, in sections. One of the next steps for the Department will concern the REV 1, at the ZAC Enova, Labège. An 800 m section will be delivered by the end of the year. The aim of this network is to establish the bicycle as a real alternative to the car, particularly for commuting. It already is for many Toulouse residents. In 2022, fourteen automatic counters installed in the Métropole recorded no fewer than 5.5 million cyclists.
