A35 motorway

A35 motorway
Country	France
Route	35
Length km	282
Established	1975
Terminus a	Strasbourg
Terminus b	Bâle
Regions	Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Maintained by	DIR Est

A35 motorway is a major autoroute in northeastern France linking the Rhine valley from Strasbourg south toward the Swiss border at Mulhouse and Bâle. It serves as a primary corridor for freight between Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland, connecting to cross-border links such as the A5 and the A2. The route traverses urban centers, industrial zones, and UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Alsace region.

Route description

The motorway begins near Strasbourg where it interfaces with the A4 autoroute and passes the European Parliament quarter, the Strasbourg Cathedral visible from some elevated sections. Proceeding south, it parallels the Rhine and cuts through the plains of Alsace past towns like Haguenau, Saverne, and Sélestat before reaching the conurbation of Colmar and the industrial basin around Mulhouse. South of Mulhouse the alignment runs toward Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin and the border with Switzerland at Bâle where international connections to the A3 and trans-Alpine corridors are available. The corridor serves access to cultural sites such as the Alsace Wine Route, the fortified town of Neuf-Brisach, and the Haut-Kœnigsbourg castle.

History

Planning for the motorway emerged in the post-World War II reconstruction era as part of French infrastructure investment that included projects like the A6 autoroute south of Paris. Initial segments opened in the 1960s and 1970s under regional development initiatives linked to the European Coal and Steel Community and later the European Economic Community transport programs. Construction phases reflected demands from manufacturers such as Renault and Peugeot which used the corridor to reach German and Swiss markets. Environmental debates in the 1980s involved heritage bodies like Monuments Historiques and regional councils of Alsace, prompting route adjustments near protected areas. Upgrades and reroutings in the 1990s connected to transnational projects coordinated with Germany and Switzerland authorities, and funding instruments like the European Regional Development Fund supported border interchange improvements.

Junctions and exits

Major interchanges include the junction with the A4 autoroute toward Paris and the connection to the A35-linked bypasses serving Strasbourg-Meinau stadium and the Strasbourg Airport. Exits provide access to industrial parks in Haguenau, the military installations near Saverne, commerce zones in Sélestat, tourist links to Colmar and the Alsace Wine Route, and logistics terminals around Mulhouse including proximity to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. Several junctions facilitate cross-border freight toward Weil am Rhein and the Rhine port terminals. Local departmental roads such as the D1062 and the D83 intersect at key nodes, with park-and-ride facilities near metropolitan bus and rail hubs like Gare de Strasbourg and Mulhouse-Ville.

Traffic and usage

The corridor carries a mix of international freight, commuter traffic, and tourist flows to attractions like the Strasbourg Christmas Market and the vineyards of Ribeauvillé. Peak traffic volumes occur around industrial shifts in Mulhouse and seasonal tourism surges associated with the Alsace Wine Route and European holiday periods. Heavy goods vehicles from Rotterdam and Antwerp ports use the route as part of inland distribution networks connecting to Lombardy and Bavaria. Traffic management involves coordination with regional transport authorities in Grand Est and cross-border arrangements with cantonal administrations in Basel-Stadt.

Construction and upgrades

Significant construction milestones included carriageway widening, noise-barrier installation near residential zones such as Ostwald and Rixheim, and full interchange reconstructions at Bischheim and Illzach. Upgrades funded under national infrastructure plans and EU Cohesion Policy expanded capacity and safety, introducing ITS technologies interoperable with systems used in Germany and Switzerland. Bridge refurbishments addressed crossings over the Rhine Canal and rail overpasses near Cernay, while pavement rehabilitation used long-life asphalt standards adopted in other corridors like the A7 autoroute.

Tolls and maintenance

Sections are managed by the regional public works directorate DIR Est, with maintenance regimes coordinated with departmental councils of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. Unlike many French autoroutes operated by private concessionaires such as Vinci Autoroutes or APRR, the motorway is largely toll-free for passenger vehicles on the mainline, though certain link roads and cross-border connectors near EuroAirport may involve charges. Winter maintenance operations are intensive due to transalpine freight movements and are coordinated with agencies like Météo-France for weather warnings, and with neighboring authorities in Baden-Württemberg and Canton of Basel-Landschaft for cross-border incidents.

Future plans and proposals

Planned interventions include further capacity enhancements to alleviate congestion near Strasbourg and Mulhouse, proposals for dedicated freight lanes inspired by corridors in Germany and Netherlands, and improved multimodal interchanges integrating rail freight terminals like the planned extensions near Mulhouse Fribourg. Environmental mitigation proposals from regional conservation groups and the Conseil régional Grand Est call for expanded noise abatement, wildlife crossings near the Vosges foothills, and increased electrification infrastructure for heavy vehicles compatible with initiatives in France and the European Green Deal.

Category:Autoroutes in France Category:Transport in Grand Est