Line A of the Orléans tramway modernised for the start of the new school year
During the summer of 2025, Line A of the Orléans tramway underwent a major refurbishment. After 25 years of operation, the rails and their fastening systems were showing significant wear and tear. Their replacement had become essential to ensure passenger safety and infrastructure reliability.
A construction site in a dense urban environment
The operation took place at the Verdun crossroads, the main entrance to the city, which is crossed by nearly 60,000 vehicles and a constant flow of pedestrians every day. Each stage was meticulously planned to limit the impact on traffic and preserve accessibility for local residents. Diversions, signage and traffic flow management ensured that traffic continued to flow smoothly at an intersection that is usually configured as a 2×3 lane road.
A collective success, driven by complementarity
As project manager, ETF oversaw the renewal of two 120-metre sections in the middle of the intersection, at the exit of the Zénith station. The rails and their fastening systems were replaced, combining three types of tram track installation: glued-anchored, embedded and hybrid (glued-anchored and embedded). Our teams also worked on demolishing the concrete slabs and restoring them.
This project involved collaboration between several ETF agencies: Agence Grand Est for management and supervision, Agence Centre and Agence Nord for additional personnel, and Agence Sud-Est for aluminothermic welding.
Alongside ETF, two other subsidiaries of VINCI Construction contributed their expertise:
- SIGNATURE managed road traffic by installing diversions and temporary signage and switching traffic to a single lane. This organisation made it possible to secure the site while maintaining the flow of traffic at this strategic intersection.
- EUROVIA worked on the road surfaces, removing the existing surface and resurfacing after the tracks had been renewed.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the teams and their complementary expertise, the preparatory work (20 June – 7 July 2025) and then the main construction work (7 July – 29 August 2025) were completed on schedule.
Line A was thus able to resume service on the night of 29 to 30 August 2025, just in time for the start of the new school year, offering users a modernised, reliable and safe tramway.
