Flanders invests in mobility towards and around Brussels

“Flemish Brabant is the beating heart of the country, but we are all at a standstill there,” Flemish Minister of Mobility Ben Weyts observes. “In order to progress, we have work to do in Flemish Brabant.” Practicing what he preaches, he’s come with a comprehensive investment plan of two billion euros. The plan includes large-scale work on the Brussels ring road, in which local traffic will be separated from through traffic. At the same time, the minister substantially invests in car alternatives. Three new tram lines, 41 kilometres of new cycling infrastructure and additional greenery are all in the works.

With 102,000 vehicle commutes a day and an average of accesses and exits every 500 metres, the Brussels ring road is the busiest road in the country. Especially the 1,100 incidents and accidents a year are a reason for traffic jams on the ring road. In order to bring that number down, Ben Weyts wants to separate local traffic from through traffic throughout a twenty kilometre stretch between the connection to the E40 in the direction of the Coast and the E40 towards Leuven. This will remove the precarious weaving movements of traffic and allow traffic to flow more smoothly and safely.

Decent alternatives

Traffic-jams partially stem from the lack of decent alternatives to car travel. Therefore bicycle tunnels, cycle bridges and cycling paths will be constructed over, under and around the ring road, totalling 41 kilometres of new cycling paths. “Today Brussels is at the top of European traffic jam capitals. It’s not that this is just a source of personal frustration, but rather that the impact on the environment and economy is tremendously damaging. With additional investment to bicycle infrastructure, I hope to persuasively entice commuters to leave their car at home: not so much for environmental reasons, but rather with sound economic arguments. A bike gets you to work quickly, safely and comfortably. The bike is also increasingly an alternative to the car when it comes to commuting, especially with the introduction of the electric bike,” Ben Weyts comments.

Finally, three brand new tram lines will also expand the alternative of public transport to and from Brussels. Altogether the tram capacity is equivalent to 20,000 cars less on the Brussels ring road.