Background

The L2 Marseille Bypass Project consists of the design, construction and maintenance of a 9.5-km bypass linking the A7 motorway (north) to the A50 motorway (south). The Grantor is the French Government, represented by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition. The Project alleviates congestion in the city and supports urban development by:
(i) Linking highways and, by doing so, relieving part of the traffic which was previously going through the city centre;
(ii) Reducing travel time and air pollution in Marseille compared to 2014;
(iii) Increasing road capacity by 50%; and
(iv) Offering better traffic conditions throughout the city’s ring road.

Stage:

In Operation

ESG/SDG Key Facts

The L2 has significantly increased Marseille’s (France’s second largest city) road capacity by removing heavy traffic from the city centre and opening up large tracts of the urban area to new green space, and residential and commercial developments. A study by the City of Marseille is currently under way to assess the possible use of the L2 by public buses.

To improve the conditions of an external water treatment basin (the Frais Vallon basin), the Project Company established in Q1 2021 a partnership with a firm specialising in developing ecological treatments. The implementation of a self-sustainable ecosystem has improved water filtration by the plants and decreased maintenance costs.

The artwork painted on the concrete walls of the L2 urban motorway was initiated by the Project Company and was developed in partnership with local communities and local artists. It was a success, and it is giving strong visibility to the Project, enhancing positive opinion from the community and good press coverage in the local media. In the end of 2022, a new artwork was painted in collaboration with a reinsertion association. A new artwork is planned for the end of 2023.

The Project established a partnership with Heko Farm, an association to promote urban farms and the circular economy, which in April 2018, led to the creation of an urban farm called “Le Talus” on the Project’s land. In 2023, the project was extended to a new plot of the L2, to develop circular economic activities (bike repair, concerts, etc.).

Learn more about the project:

Marseille L2 Wall Murals

Opening of the inner-direction of the L2 North this morning

The exhibition “A l’échelle de la ville” at the French Ministry of Culture pays a tribute to the L2 artistic projects, supported by Meridiam.