The portion of the A13 highway connecting A86 to Vaucresson and the Saint-Cloud gate in the west of Paris has been closed since April 19th, and will remain inaccessible to drivers until Tuesday, April 30th, as announced by the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture and the Ile-de-France road authority. The closure is due to the discovery of a transverse fault near Saint-Cloud, with repair work possibly starting by the end of the week. The highway may reopen for traffic on May 1st, pending confirmation from the authorities.
The closure of this heavily traveled section of road has led to worsened traffic congestion in the Paris region, particularly on Monday morning after the school holidays, with congestion levels reaching above the average of 370 kilometers of traffic jams at 8:15 am. The closure was initially caused by a landslide that revealed a significant crack between the viaduct and the Saint-Cloud tunnel. The Transport Minister confirmed that the A13 would remain closed for a few more days, acknowledging the inconvenience this posed to residents of the region.
The Hauts-de-Seine prefecture had stated that the crack along the final ramp of the highway was the result of a landslide, with depths ranging from 50 to 80 centimeters in different areas. Further investigation into the causes of the landslide is ongoing, with additional cracks appearing on a sanitation structure located 4 meters below the highway. To alleviate the inconvenience for users, the President of the region has called for toll-free access to the A14 and increased public transportation options in the west of Paris during the repair works.
The A13 connects Paris to Caen in Normandy, passing through the south of Rouen, and is commonly used by Parisians traveling to the Normandy coast. The highway is managed by the Sanef north and east of France, while the French government oversees the section between Paris and Orgeval. Motorists have been advised to take alternate routes such as the A12, N12, and N118 to bypass the closed section. These detours include routes via Versailles to reach Paris from Rocquencourt and Bois-d’Arcy, with a recommendation to avoid the closed section and choose detours like the A15 or A86 where possible.
