Insertion of a tramway line in an urban environment presupposes defining four themes:
1- the technical aspect, translated into terms of cost and operating constraints;
2- the image of the line, in static terms: fixed facilities (stations, overhead power lines, urban accessories) and dynamic elements via conception of the route as seen from the tramway;
3- uses concretised by the ground design, organised and hierarchised by type of movement (automobile, pedestrians, GLT);
4- beautification actions considered in terms of general interest or localised impact.
The project is broken down into four types of actions:
- defining the route
- "façade to façade" renovation enabling identification of the route with a view to maintaining or totally reworking the ground space;
- development of specific locations;
- identification of later developments connected with operational projects and procedures, dissociated from the GLT project.
This overall vision is what guided the work done along the first tramway line in the Greater Nancy Urban Community and then applied to the problem sets specific to the historic sites.