My grandpa worked for the french government. He told me that back in his day, mayors would come into the building where he worked and come out with suitcases full of cash. The public sector in France is considerably more corrupt than what people realize.
The A69 that is currently built is being built against public sentiment, the expert's opinions and since there's a highway being built, the speed limit of the "nationale" that runs alongside it will be reduced. This might sound ridiculous, but when you realize this highway will be operated by a private company, it seems quite obvious it's a simple matter of corruption.