3 lanes on the A6 motorway near Auxerre
To the east of Auxerre, in the direction of Beaune and Lyon, the A6 motorway follows a slight slope for more than 10 km. Although it never exceeds 4%, this length was a real problem.
In the lowlands, however, two lanes are usually sufficient to ensure traffic flow. But on this long two‐lane slope there was a phenomenon of “mobile baffles”.
On this section, trucks represent 15% of the traffic. As the kilometres pass, the well heavy trucks gradually lose speed and regularly descend below 80 km/h. As the right lane often travels at 50 km/h slower than the left, these vehicles represent baffles.
In addition, slightly faster trucks used the left lane to pass at 80 or 90 km/h. The whole section was slowed down and dangerous for other vehicles arriving at 130 km/h.
Since February 2017, work had begun and traffic was slowed down in this area.
This work consisted in adding a third lane in the north‐south direction. APRR, the operator managing the A6, took advantage of this work to add water collection and treatment basins.
Since October 4, 2019, the third lane has been opened to traffic to make this section of the A6 motorway more fluid.
Access to the Auxerre Sud exit and the Venoy Grosse Pierre rest area is thus facilitated.