The laying of the rails has begun!

On the entire route, the construction of the T12 tram is progressing rapidly. In Viry-Chatillon and Évry-Courcouronnes, the project has reached a symbolic milestone with the laying of the first rails.

On 6 November, an exceptional convoy from Luxembourg delivered the first rails to equip the T12 tram tracks on the urban network.

The first installations took place in Viry-Chatillon, at the level of the RD445, as well as in Évry-Courcouronnes, at the site of the future Traité de Rome station, boulevard Jean Monnet.

The rails are laid on concrete sleepers, a solution chosen for its robustness and the longevity it allows.

This technique consists of using two-piece concrete sleepers to support the rails. Once wedged and aligned under the control of a surveyor, the rails are immobilized by concreting. They are then assembled by thermite welds, which allows for a durable weld that is resistant to overloads and intensities.

The whole is then covered by the installation of a plant coating, the sedum. This greening, which is easy to maintain and requires little watering, reflects the project's commitment to an environmentally friendly transmission line.

The greening of the T12 tram tracks is part of a process to requalify the urban space along the route. It will also be accompanied by tree planting.

• In Viry-Chatillon, which will have two T12 tram stations (Amédée Gordini and Coteaux de l'Orge), the railway tracks were first laid north of the RD445 crossroads. This section was carried out as a priority in order to remove traffic changes as quickly as possible. Indeed, as these works must coexist with the maintenance of car traffic, they require careful organization to guarantee the safety of all. They are therefore carried out in several successive phases. In addition to the laying of the railway tracks, the work includes the construction of the future soft lane and the direct road restoration towards Viry-Chatillon centre. In January, the rails will be laid on the Avenue des Sablons to join those of the RD445. This work will continue until spring 2021.

• In Évry-Courcouronnes, the work to lay the rails began in mid-November at the Treaty of Rome roundabout in the direction of Boulevard Jean Monnet, along the canal. They will continue gradually until they reach the Évry-Courcouronnes centre in the spring of 2021.

Between Épinay-sur-Orge and Évry-Courcouronnes, the rails will be installed as the construction work on the tramway platform progresses. On its railway section located between Massy and Épinay-sur-Orge, the T12 tram will use the existing rail network.