A69 Highway Project: Appeals Court Clears Way for Construction to Resume

After a three-month pause, construction on the controversial A69 motorway—set to connect Toulouse and Castres over a 53-kilometre stretch—is set to resume. On Wednesday, May 28, the Toulouse Administrative Court of Appeal suspended the enforcement of earlier rulings from February 27 that had annulled the environmental permits issued by the state. This decision follows a request from the government to delay the execution of those judgments, thus allowing work to restart, even as legal challenges on the substance of the case are still pending.

A contentious project backed by authorities

Declared a public utility in 2018, the A69 project is led by the concessionaire company Atosca. It has faced strong resistance from environmental groups who denounce the motorway’s ecological impact, citing the destruction of natural habitats and a likely increase in CO₂ emissions. Activists have staged demonstrations and taken legal action, with some organizations advocating for the improvement of the existing national road (RN126) as a more sustainable alternative.

Opposition remains mobilized

Despite the legal green light to resume construction, opponents remain active. New protests are expected in the coming weeks as resistance groups continue to rally against the project. Meanwhile, a legislative proposal is currently being considered in Parliament to officially designate the highway as a project of “imperative public interest,” which would strengthen its legal standing.

The A69 was initially slated to open by the end of 2025. With construction now resuming, authorities hope to meet that deadline—though ongoing legal proceedings and sustained public opposition may still affect the project’s timeline.