[Work is progressing] Extension of the RER E to the west
The construction site of this structuring project for the Île-de-France region is in full swing. A look back at the many development works underway along the entire length of the future line.
The "biggest" of the project is currently taking place in Nanterre and Courbevoie
First of all, in Nanterre, two bridges are being built as well as an underpass that will serve as a link with the future line 15 of the future Grand Paris Express automatic metro. This site will also be used to house the storage site for the trains in operation. The project director gives an update in video:
At the same time, several operations are being carried out in Courbevoie to prepare for the arrival of the tunnel boring machine that will be responsible for digging the tunnel between Nanterre and Haussmann – Saint-Lazare. A 38-metre entrance shaft is currently being dug. A system that will allow the evacuation of excavated material by sea is also on the agenda. Finally, under the CNIT, work is being carried out to rebuild the foundations of the building in order to allow the construction of the new RER E station.
Major modernisation work is underway on the current J line
On the Yvelines side, on line J in operation, several projects are underway, at the entrance to Poissy station, the project teams have been working since September 2017 on the widening of the rail bridge located on rue de la Gare, which will make it possible to add a third track for trains and improve the flow of rail traffic.
At Aubergenville-Elisabethville station, work is being carried out to lengthen and raise the platforms. It is also planned to replace the current passenger shelters with new, more comfortable equipment.
Finally, in Paris, a well has been being dug since mid-December 2017. It will allow workers to access the future tunnel. In order to avoid noise pollution, an acoustic hangar was set up in February.
The project at a glance
The project to extend the RER E to the west includes 14 stations, including an entirely new section between Saint-Lazare and Nanterre – La Folie (with the construction of 3 new stations) and then the resumption of the tracks of the Transilien line J between Nanterre and Mantes-La-Jolie, which will be thoroughly modernised for the occasion. Three departments are concerned: Paris, Hauts-de-Seine and Yvelines.
The project is led by Île-de-France Mobilités, which has entrusted the project management to SNCF Mobilités for the operation of transport services and SNCF Réseau for the transport infrastructure of the national rail network.
Funding is provided by 8 partners: the State, Île-de-France Mobilités, the Île-de-France Region, the Hauts-de-Seine and Yvelines departments, Paris, the Société du Grand Paris and the SNCF for an amount of €3.80 billion for the infrastructure, and €1.8 billion for the rolling stock. The operation of the future line will be 100% financed by Île-de-France Mobilités.
55 km of new tracks are planned (47 of which have been renovated and redeveloped). The extension of the RER E will allow a 40-minute journey between Saint-Lazare and Mantes-la-Jolie. Nearly 620,000 daily passengers are expected at the start of service.