The Seine-maritime department confirms its financial commitment for the Rouen motorway bypass

At an extraordinary plenary meeting, 38 councilors voted for, 6 against and 26 did not take part in the vote, according to Mr. Bellanger's cabinet.

Launched over 40 years ago, this project, which would relieve traffic congestion in Rouen, provides for the construction of 41,5 km of motorway connecting the A28 and the A13.

In 2016 and 2018 already, the department of Seine-Maritime had supported this project, 66 for, 4 against.

But the prefect asked in December by letter to the three communities concerned to "request confirmation by deliberation before the end of February of their financial commitment".

"This financial support materializes by a commitment of the Department to the tune of 28,5 million euros," said the department in a statement, on a project of 886 million in total.

Bertrand Bellanger highlighted Thursday "the economic dimension, the optimization of traffic in the Rouen metropolitan area and the environmental aspect of the project", according to the press release.

The Socialist group did not take part in the vote.

"This vote aims to contribute to the lobbying of pro-bypass East which has been exercised since the judgment of the Council of State" validating in November the public utility of the project, explained to AFP the president of the socialist group Nicolas Rouly .

Its "only objective is to put pressure on metropolitan elected officials because they have not yet spoken and because the debate is particularly marked there", he added.

"The differences that may exist between us (the socialists editor's note) are not hidden, not secret. We accept disagreements," he also said.

The PS president of the Rouen Metropolis Nicolas Mayer Rossignol, who arrived at the head of the city and the agglomeration in 2020, spoke personally against this project, stressing its cost and believing that it would not unclog Rouen.

Under the previous presidency, also socialist, the Metropolis, had voted for its contribution (66 million) to this motorway project of 41,5 km strongly contested by environmentalists.

Asked Thursday the press service of the Metropolis indicated that "the subject will of course be submitted to the metropolitan debate but the date of this has not yet been decided".

The Normandy Region will vote on February 15. Its contribution must be 157 million euros.