Facts
In the early 2000s, the Canton of Vaud, the regional associations, and the municipalities concerned developed a concept for the Lausanne-Morges Agglomeration Project (PALM), which included the construction of the "Renens-Gare - Lausanne-Flon" tram ("tram t1") and several sections of trolleybus on dedicated lanes. In 2010, the Lausanne Region Public Transport Company (TL) applied for a concession for the tram, which included a new road link between Rue de la Vigie and Avenue Jules-Gonin (Vigie-Gonin link). The Federal Council granted the concession in 2011. In 2012, TL submitted to the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) a request for approval of the plans for tram "t1", the high-level trolleybus service, and the Vigie-Gonin link. Several opponents, including A., B. SA, C. SA, D. Sàrl, and E. Sàrl, contested the competence of the FOT to approve this road link. In 2016, the FOT approved the project, considering itself competent for the Vigie-Gonin link. The opponents appealed against this decision.Considerations
The Federal Tribunal ruled that the FOT was competent to approve the Vigie-Gonin link as part of the federal procedure for the approval of railway and trolleybus plans. Although presenting road aspects, this link is closely related to the public transport project, as it aims to absorb the individual motorized traffic excluded from the road axes closed for…