The challenge
With routes largely converging on Paris, the current transport network in Ile-de-France, although very extensive, does not connect the outlying towns to one another and is aging.
With routes largely converging on Paris, the current transport network in Ile-de-France, although very extensive, does not connect the outlying towns to one another and is aging.
Arcadis' mission is to provide general assistance to the Société du Grand Paris in managing the Grand Paris Express project and to lead the development of new subway lines in Paris.
By improving mobility within the greater Paris area, Europe's largest infrastructure project will bring Parisians closer together and develop local economies.
Although Paris is one of the most accessible cities by public transport, there are differences between central Paris and its suburbs. As well as being aging, its transport network does not connect the outlying towns to one another and does not serve certain parts of the region well, which creates inequalities in terms of mobility, but also in economic and social terms.
The Grand Paris Express project aims to provide an improved transport offer to meet the mobility needs of the greater Paris area's residents. It is based on the creation of four new subway lines and the modernization and extension of existing lines, with the aim of linking residential areas, airports and employment hubs.
With its expertise in major underground infrastructure projects, Arcadis was chosen by the Société du Grand Paris (SGP), which is in charge of the works, to lead the development of the new lines and assist it in managing the project. Thus, within the ICARE group, Arcadis is leading the works on line 18. Its mission is in particular to manage the risks, uncertainty and complexity of the underground space. In fact, Grand Paris is densely populated, and its underground is full of networks of all kinds: electricity, sanitation, drinking water, gas, etc. On lines 15, 16 and 17, within the Artemis group, Arcadis is assisting the SGP in managing the project and coordinating the many parties involved. Arcadis thus ensures the day-to-day monitoring of the project and its schedules. Its role is to identify priorities, oversee deliverables and inform decision-making in order to adapt projects in an agile manner.
By doubling the number of kilometers of subway lines, the Grand Paris Express aims to offer the Paris region's inhabitants a sustainable alternative to the car. The project also aims to contribute to the economic and social development of towns in the inner and outer rings of outlying settlements, particularly those less well served by public transport.
Once completed, this colossal project will bring the territories and their inhabitants closer together and will help to reduce the social and territorial imbalances between Paris and its suburbs. With improved public transport, people in the Paris region will have better access to employment. Better connected, their neighborhoods are also expected to become more attractive: many urban projects near train stations are expected to be created.