- The municipal elections are held on March 15 and 22, 2020. Each Monday, 20 Minutes will address a theme of the campaign. Today, the results of the promises kept by Roland Ries in 2014.
- Roland Ries, who does not represent himself, has changed the face of the Alsatian capital. In particular by bringing Strasbourg closer to the German city of Kehl and the Rhine, thus strengthening one of its European aspects.
- The mayor has made employment and town planning his priority. The city posts the creation of 10,000 net jobs since 2015 on the agglomeration.
- However, its environmental record is mixed. With the construction of more than 3,300 housing units per year, hasn't Strasbourg become "concrete"?
After two successive terms, the time has come for the mayor of Strasbourg. Since 2008, Roland Ries, who does not represent himself, has changed the face of the Alsatian capital. In particular by bringing Strasbourg closer to the German city of Kehl and the Rhine, thus strengthening one of its European aspects.
During his second re-election in 2014, his program had been deemed vague, talking to him about an "extension" of his first term. 20 Minutes takes stock of the achievements of the most emblematic promises of the mayor.
10,000 net jobs created
He had made employment the "priority" of his mandate. The mayor wanted to "support job seekers, especially the youngest with the launch of a" first experience pact "and by supporting" the development and creation of local businesses ".
In the end, the city announces the creation of 10,000 net jobs since 2015 across the agglomeration, which exceeds the objectives set out in the Eco 2030 Plan.
An extensive tram network
Roland Ries wanted to complete the extension projects of the tramway, in particular for better service to Koenigshoffen, Illkirch, Schiltigheim, Robertsau and Kehl. Mission accomplished for this last line which makes it possible to reach the town hall of Kehl by tram in around twenty minutes.
The mayor also promised to put the package on "soft mobility". Again, the bet seems successful with the creation of meeting areas, the most visible of which is that of the Quai des Bateliers. Numerous boxes and hoops for cyclists have also been built, consolidating Strasbourg in its status as "cycling capital".
Roland Ries had displayed his desire to transform the A35 "into an urban boulevard with the objective of calming traffic and reducing the pollution generated by cars and heavy goods vehicles". Promise kept? This was conditional on the establishment of the GCO (Great West Bypass), a project which was delayed by administrative appeals. The project, which mainly depends on the Eurometropolis, was the subject of a presentation at the end of the year but has not yet been completed.
A mixed environmental report
Roland Ries wanted to set an example in the fight against pollution, in particular by banning all diesel vehicles by 2025. The mayor had displayed his desire to sign a municipal decree to this effect before the end of his mandate in October 2019. This has still not been done at the time this article is posted online although a deliberation of the municipal council has been taken.
There remains the thorny issue of automobile traffic on the Port du Rhin road, accentuating pollution with fine particles regularly pointed out by environmental organizations. Despite the improvements made to the track. A problem largely dependent on the requalification of the A35 and the GCO.
The candidate wanted to "give full place to nature in the city", in particular by creating more green spaces. A mixed assessment, taking into account the numerous town planning projects carried out, to the detriment of plants? Like the development of the Quai des Bateliers, considered too mineral by many. There remains the creation of the new Heyritz park inaugurated in 2015 with its 6,000 trees.
Shovel housing?
Has the mayor's proposal, which was to maintain a rate of construction of new housing equivalent to that of the previous mandate, been achieved? In detail, he proposed to build 1,500 new housing units per year in the social housing stock and 1,500 new housing units in the private housing stock.
Objective widely achieved with an average of 3,300 housing units per year, depending on the city, on the scale of the Eurometropolis. The other side of the coin? A dense urbanization, much criticized by the opposition, which speaks of "concreteisation" of the city.
Local democracy
Roland Ries had promised to involve Strasbourg residents more in decision-making. The local democracy pact made it possible to set up citizen petitions and the participatory budget. The former have had very relative success with only two petitions examined in city council. Petitioners have also criticized the cumbersome procedure.
On the other hand, the participatory budget aroused some interest. 31 projects were selected to the tune of one million euros in 2018. Less than a handful of projects have already been carried out to date. But the city renewed the operation by doubling its funding for the year 2019.
New artistic spaces
Roland Ries had promised the construction of new artistic spaces. The Maillon theater will probably remain as the major cultural achievement of its mandate. The black building, inaugurated on October 1, 2019 by Emmanuel Macron, is 6,900 m2 in area with two large performance halls.
Beyond campaign promises, Roland Ries also had to face one of these serious events that marked the history of Strasbourg. The attack on December 11, 2019 on the Christmas market marked a safe turning point in the city. Significant security measures have been put in place, at the risk of causing criticism.
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- Environment
- town planning
- Strasbourg
- Employment
- municipal
- Housing