A section of the A13 highway in France was closed due to a crack between the A86 and Vaucresson, and the Saint-Cloud gate to the west of Paris. The closure caused traffic congestion in the Paris region on Monday morning, with over 370 kilometers of accumulated traffic jams recorded at 8:15 am. The situation began to improve by mid-morning, with traffic jams reduced to just over 180 kilometers. The reopening of the highway is expected to happen by the middle of the week if safety conditions are met.
The closure of this busy highway between the Paris ring road and the A86 was announced by the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture in both directions “until at least Monday” due to a “land movement” that caused a significant crack between the viaduct and the Saint-Cloud tunnel. The crack runs along the end of the slip road and crosses the A13 towards the Saint-Cloud park, with a depth of 50 to 80 cm in various places. The situation was described as the result of a geological movement, and the causes are still being investigated. It also caused cracks in a drainage structure located 4 meters below the highway.
To address the inconvenience caused to users, the president of the region, Valérie Pécresse, called on the State to make the A14 toll-free to ensure access to Paris for all during the maintenance works. She also asked SNCF Transilien to increase public transportation services in the western suburbs. The A13 highway connects Paris to Caen in Normandy via the south of Rouen and is heavily used by Parisians heading to the Normandy coast. The A13 is operated by the private company Sanef, except for the stretch between Paris and Orgeval, where the French government is the manager represented by Dirif.
Authorities and Dirif recommended that motorists take alternative routes such as the A12, N12, and N118 to avoid the closed section of the A13. For those coming from Rocquencourt, they should take the A12 and N12 towards Versailles, then head towards Paris via the Saint-Cloud gate (N118). For those coming from Bois-d’Arcy, they should take the N12 towards Versailles, followed by the route towards Paris via the Saint-Cloud gate (N118). All users are advised to avoid the closed area and use alternative routes as early as possible, such as the A15 or A86. The situation is being monitored closely, and updates will be provided as soon as the highway is deemed safe to reopen.
