Widening of A3 motorway

The major project to widen the A3 to 2x3 lanes between the French border and the capital began in mid-2022. This project is long awaited by the thousands motorists who use the route every day, and represents a major mobility challenge for the country.

As part of this large-scale project, Félix Giorgetti is in charge of the construction of the section between the Croix de Gasperich and the Livange interchange. More than two years of work are planned for this 4km section.

Initially, the work involve extensive earthworks with the removal of more than 200,000m³ of material. For this purpose, our teams have been equipped with a Komatsu PC 490, which is ideal for large-scale work, and a Liebherr R926 Compact, which is controlled by a Leica GPS to ensure perfect embankment.

The motorway widening also includes the laying of sewerage and multi-tube channels (for electricity and fiber-optic internet), the construction of foundations for future gantries, the laying of acoustic walls, and the creation of a 16,450m³ retention basin with a large vegetated area.

"We have to be perfectly organised," explains our site manager. We are working along a busy road. The safety rules are therefore very strict. For example, you can't get within one and a half metres of the concrete blocks. Vehicle traffic is limited to 70 km/h, but you never know. A truck could hit the wall and cause serious damage."

Another requirement is the circulation of authorities. One lane must be accessible at all times to facilitate their intervention through the heavy traffic. An access road was therefore created on what stood as the hard shoulder, as well as refuge areas in case of a break down.

The final constraint was the motorway service area at the beginning of the section under construction. "The petrol station is the busiest in Europe, and closing it is not an option. We therefore had to find solutions to manage the traffic and maintain its activity."