“It's a blessing in disguise”: with the resumption of work on Avenue Victor-Hugo in Sète, what impact on local residents ?

Pedro Escudero, pharmacien sur l’avenue Victor-Hugo, croise les doigts pour cette phase de travaux impacte moins son activité que la précédente. Midi Libre – W. N.

The construction site for the modernization of Avenue Victor-Hugo has resumed for several months. With the concern, for the traders, of seeing their activity once again impacted by this major work.

Noon strikes. In front of the Lakanal school, several cars, hazard lights on, form a line. “It's annoying, we're blocking traffic but I don't have time to park further away. I have the second one to pick up and I only have a quarter of an hour to spare”, says Lucien, who has come to pick up his daughter for lunch. Like him, other parents have decided to park hastily on Avenue Victor-Hugo. Barriers and bollards have been installed all along the artery since the middle of last week, preventing vehicles from parking there and buses from stopping there (*).

Read also: What you need to know about the Avenue Victor-Hugo project, the biggest construction site of 2024 in Sète

The parking problem

After the creation, from March to July 2024, of a separate network for wastewater and rainwater led by Sète Agglo, the second phase of the work has just begun and should last until the summer. It will allow the development of the avenue. Several months of construction that do not please Marlène Vignau of the eponymous pastry shop. While she concedes that “it's a blessing in disguise” , she points out that the first phase had “impacted all the traders” on the artery. And she mentions the case of her own shop which, over the period mentioned, had seen its turnover drop by 20%. The main cause: the difficulty for customers to park.

Work on the avenue is set to continue until summer. Midi Libre – W. N.

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Which could be the case again in the first half of 2025. “There's already a bit of grumbling”, assures Chantal, manager of the Didier Fabre flower shop. She has already informed the municipality that she would park her vehicle on the sidewalk to ensure her deliveries. “I can't park any further away, I sometimes have large items, especially for funerals, that I can't transport on foot”, says the florist. And to add: “These are necessary works, yes, because the avenue has become old-fashioned, but it's starting to take a long time. Customers will go elsewhere.”

“The avenue will become more beautiful. We have to accept the inconveniences that go with it”

On the avenue, Thierry and Jean-Pierre, residents of the avenue and neighbors, agree on the need for this redevelopment: “This work needs to be done. Especially on the sidewalks where elderly people often fall because of the roots. And then, even if there is a bit of noise, we get used to it”. A point of view shared by Christine, who also lives on the artery under construction. “The avenue is going to become more beautiful, so we have to accept the inconveniences that come with it”, says the retiree, resigned. Which does not, however, prevent him from wondering about the parking issue: “I have a garage but it's a bit further away. I'll have to see how to unload my shopping now.”

Two phases of work

Development The work began last Wednesday with the installation of fiber and will continue until the summer with the redevelopment of the avenue. This 3.7 million euro project was developed by the City and the Bâtiments de France in consultation with local residents. The first phase of work (January 15 to July 15) will include the networks, the development of sidewalks, curbs, cycle paths, roads and the theater forecourt. A second phase, scheduled between the beginning of September and the end of November, will involve crossing the theater forecourt towards the square, the start of the roads adjacent to the theater, the surfacing of the cycle paths and sidewalks as well as street furniture.

At the Victor-Hugo pharmacy, Pedro Escudero also gives a mixed message. On the one hand, the pharmacist welcomes the communication put in place by the City – “elected officials came to see us and we have the contacts of the people responsible for the work” – and is delighted to see the transformation of the avenue. “The work will restore its splendor but, as they say, you have to suffer to be beautiful”, says the professional. Who admits to having “stuck his tongue out” during the first round of work because of the complicated access to his pharmacy. This time, he confides “crossing his fingers”, counting on his “loyal patient base”. The City, for its part, assures “to do everything possible to ensure that the traders continue to work”. Two banners should be installed at the entrances to the artery to indicate that the shops will remain open during the work.

(*) The Théâtre Molière, Pont de Pierre and Quai Pasteur stops will not be served in both directions during the entire work. I subscribe to read the rest