New mobility concept for Tertre University campus

Summary

Large-scale parking management resulted in the renewal of a public space and a modal shift towards cycling, public transportation and walking.

Implementing sustainable mobility

The Tertre university campus in Nantes was built in the 1960s near the Erdre River in the north of the city. With the rise in car ownership and the number of students, most of the public space around the campus was used for car parking for around 2,000 cars. Despite the tram serving the campus since 1993, accessibility by public transport was relatively poor. The objective was therefore to remove 700 parking spaces, reclaiming the public spaces and improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, along with the installation of parking racks for 200 bicycles. Accessibility by public transport was also to be improved by creating better links between the campus and the tram stops, establishing a bus corridor with higher-frequency buses, and introducing a new public riverboat line.

Progress

In the first phase, completed in 2002, a total of 300 car parking spaces were removed and the public spaces remodelled. Racks for 200 bicycles were installed and bus frequency improved.

In the second phase, 400 parking spaces were removed for the construction of new university buildings and parking charges were introduced for the campus.

Outcomes

The space previously used as a giant car park for 2,000 cars was transformed into a large esplanade for pedestrians, with newly planted trees and shrubs. At the centre of the esplanade, a new student building was constructed, from which a new walkway links the esplanade to the tram stop. The street crossing the site was turned into a low-speed zone, new street furniture was added, and bike racks were installed. A new roundabout and pedestrian crossing point were added to improve safety and bus flow.