Commissioning of the first 30 km of the A79+, the first free-flow toll motorway in France

This highway will be completed in the fall of 2022 and will replace the RN79. It will cross the Allier department from east to west, thus connecting the A6 and A71 motorways over an 88 km toll section.

The A79, decreed by the State of public interest, will offer users the free flow toll system authorized by the Mobility Orientation Law (LOM) of December 2019. Already present in Austria, Spain, Portugal and the In the United States, free flow technology does away with physical toll barriers, thus helping to modernize the French motorway network.

The removal of physical barriers brings several advantages, for the benefit of both users and the community:

• smoother traffic with a reduction in the risk of traffic jams and a saving in travel time
• reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. During each stop at a toll barrier, a heavy goods vehicle spends one liter of ordinary diesel, i.e. 3,1 kg of CO2 emitted (source: ASFA)
• stress reduction when approaching tolls, therefore more safety and comfort
• reduction of soil artificialization. The area required for a toll barrier is estimated at 16 ha.

The Eiffage Group, which is financing the project itself with an investment of 538 million euros, has brought together all its know-how to design, build and operate the first free-flow motorway:

• ALIAE is the contracting authority and concessionaire for the A79 for a period of 48 years;
• Eiffage Génie Civil is the representative of the GIE CLEA which is in charge of the design and construction of the A79;
• APRR, to which ALIAE has entrusted the operation and maintenance of the A79 for the duration of the concession.

Key figures

• 88 km the length of the A79
• 23,5 months lead time
• 548 ME the amount of Eiffage's own investment
• 48 years duration of the concession

The A79 at a glance

A new motorway section that crosses France from East to West and connects the A6 and the A71.

The A79 is the motorway section between Sazeret (Allier) and Digoin (Saône-et-Loire) of the Route Center Europe Atlantique RCEA), a strategic transverse axis to link the French Atlantic coast to Germany on long distance routes, Switzerland and Italy via central France.

Every day, 10.000 to 15.000 vehicles, almost 40% of which are heavy goods vehicles, use this route. This very high truck traffic, combined with a road configuration that has become obsolete, have made it one of the most accident-prone French roads: between 2008 and 2017, 124 people lost their lives between Montmarault and Mâcon.

This is why the State decided in 2017 to have the construction of the A79 entrusted to ALIAE.

A local and territorial development infrastructure

The A79 is also designed to promote territorial development. Although transit traffic is particularly important, the infrastructure must be a vector for exchanges and links at the local level. This link will be favored by a particularly strong measure: motorists will be able to travel free of charge on the Cressanges - Toulon section (17 km) and on the Dompierre section (6 km).

In addition, to encourage the use of the paying infrastructure by local users or for local service, ALIAE will offer a very attractive pricing policy with an electronic toll formula offering up to 60% reduction on journeys. This reduction may apply from the first euro made on the journeys according to a scale depending on the number of journeys made during the month. Rest and service areas will also play an important local role. In addition to the Pierrefitte rest areas and the Deux Chaises rest areas at the toll barrier, two rest areas (Dompierre Ouest and Cressanges) and a service area (Toulon-sur-Allier) will be accessible both by highway and local roads.

4 rest areas

Rest areas (4 areas over the 88 km)

• LV/HGV parking
• Carpooling
• Toilets and showers for truck drivers
• Reception building: high bar, drink and snack vending machine, information screen, free wi-fi
• Free-flow payment terminals
• Relaxation and picnic area

1 service area

The Bourbonnais service area (Toulon-sur-Allier)

• Restaurant
• Parking for light vehicles (VL) and heavy goods vehicles (PL)
• LV/PL fuel station
• Electric vehicle fast charging station
• Special sockets for refrigerated trucks
• Sani-bus and motorhome stations
• Public transport stop for the extension of the H Aléo bus line
• Free-flow payment terminals
• Relaxation and picnic area
• event space
• Free toilets and showers for truck drivers
• Wi-fi

88 Km entirely in free flow, a first in France

From the fall of 2022, ALIAE will put the first free-flow French motorway into service, without a physical toll barrier. Wanted by the Mobility Orientation Law of December 2019, the free flow toll has already been adopted in several European countries (Austria, Spain, Portugal) as well as in Brazil, Chile, the United States and India. And several projects are announced in France on the A4, A13-A14, A69 and A412.

No more toll stations and queues. The gantries and the technology used were designed and supplied by one of the world leaders. They are already used in many countries: United States, Spain, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India. The device is made up of infrared cameras, electronic toll antennas and sensors, to which is added an algorithmic intelligence layer that allows the equipment to communicate with each other and with the back office system allowing invoicing and toll collection in free flow.

Data protection: a GDPR-compliant device

The software systems for payment on the website and the terminals on foot are developed in France and Eiffage is the publisher. The data is hosted in France.

• The Free Flow ID system is GDPR compliant and only reads license plates for toll collection and billing purposes.
• The right of data access and rectification is assured to all customers.
• The personal data protection control process is rigorous and ensured with a DPO (Data Protection Office) and a GDPR referent, both at Eiffage and at APRR.

The free flow, instructions for use

Over the 88 km of the A79, 6 gantries equipped with infrared cameras will make it possible to identify, whatever the weather conditions, the electronic toll badge or the license plate and the type of vehicle, automatically triggering invoicing.

4 payment options are available to easily pay for rides

Light vehicle or heavy vehicle electronic toll badge:

• The badge is detected each time you pass through the gates and billing is done at the end of the month.
• It is valid on all motorways in France.

Registration plate (IBAN or CB):

• The customer simply registers his license plate number and his bank details on the website www.aliae.com
• The plaque is detected on each trip and the sample is taken every week.

Online payment on ww.aliae.com

• After his passage, the customer has 72 hours to pay, by entering his license plate number

Payment at a payment terminal or “foot terminal”

• 16 payment terminals are available at rest or service areas on the A79+ motorway.
• Customers can pay for their journey there during their break on the course.

First motorway in France to offer price modulation according to environmental criteria

Light vehicles: decreasing rates according to CO2 emissions

Light vehicles (classes 1, 2 and 5)

Trucks: decreasing rates according to the class of vehicle AND their CO2 emissions

Trucks (classes 3 and 4)