All-mode traffic study — Nantes city center

The city center of Nantes has been undergoing major urban transformations for several years: redevelopment of squares, extensions of the bicycle network, development of the tramway and reduction of car traffic.
In this context, Nantes Métropole wanted to have a comprehensive and up-to-date traffic flow analysis, integrating all modes of travel and their interactions.

Explain conducted one study at a time diagnostic and prospective, structured around several components:

1. Diagnosis of the current situation
   • Reconstitution of pedestrian, cyclist, public transport and car flows based on GPS counts and data.
   • Detailed analysis of speeds, congestion and transit routes.
   • Identification of points of conflict and areas of saturation.
2. All mode modeling
   • Construction of a dynamic traffic model at the scale of the city center.
   • Simulation of several development scenarios: pedestrianization, redistribution of lanes, new bus corridors and bicycle paths.
3. Impact analysis
   • Assessment of the effects on travel times, safety and the quality of public transport service.
   • Study of traffic reports and possible adaptations on the peripheral network.
4. Decision support
   • Elaboration of recommendations for the prioritization of the network and the planning of works.
   • Proposals for monitoring indicators and communication tools to support implementation.

Explain mobilized a pragmatic and visual methodology, facilitating the understanding of the issues by elected officials and technical services.

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The objective of the mission was to provide an integrated and objective vision of the functioning of the city center, in order to guide urban planning and future development decisions.
Explain aimed to:

• Identify the Balances between modes and the levers for reducing transit traffic;
• Evaluate the impact of developments on the fluidity and safety of travel;
• Encourage the coherence between mobility, living environment and economic attractiveness ;
• Equipping the metropolis for the continuous management of mobility in the city center.

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The study allowed Nantes Métropole to have a solid technical base to plan the development of its city centre.The simulations carried out informed the choices in terms of network prioritization and the prioritization of modes.EXPLAIN contributed to strengthening the legibility of impacts for decision-makers and the general public, by providing simple and transparent visualization tools.

Explain provides Nantes Métropole with personalized support in developing the all-mode master plan. The expertise in mobility planning provided by Explain allows Nantes to be able to assess and then define the guidelines of the master plan in perfect harmony with the challenges of the territory and its needs.