National Road 1 is a major route linking Libreville, the capital, to the rest of the country. After a 680 km journey from west to east, it leads to Franceville, Gabon’s third largest city. Some sections of this road are in a state of serious disrepair, particularly near Libreville (holes, ruts, defective hydraulic and sanitary structures, narrowed sections, etc.), hindering traffic flow and safety.

The project launched by Meridiam involves renovating the road in its existing right-of-way (2×1 lane) with, depending on the section, reinforcement of its structure, asphalting of damaged sections, renovation of the drainage system, improvement of signage, etc. Three types of profile are planned (urban area, village crossing and rural area) with a maximum authorised speed of 80 km/h in rural areas and 50 km/h in urban areas.

In partnership with Biotope and the local company Geouide, Artelia consulted and informed stakeholders along the entire route. Our teams led a measurement campaign (air pollution, noise levels, water, soil and sediment analysis, etc.) and modelled the nuisances before and after the project. The consortium also carried out community surveys and household opinion polls along the entire route. Based on this data, Artelia and its partners then drafted the environmental and social study and action plan (ESIA and ESMP), as well as a biodiversity conservation action plan (BAP) in line with the recommendations of the IFC (International Finance Corporation).