Brussels minister-president Boris Dilliès (MR) and mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) have reached an agreement on the contentious reconstruction of the Louise roundabout, allowing work to begin this week. “Together with Elke Van den Brandt, we are pleased to have reached a balanced agreement on a project that had been stalled,” Dilliès said in a statement. “Thanks to a few adjustments, we are taking into account the new majority’s key priorities: smooth traffic flow, accessible shops, road safety and high-quality design of public
spaces.” Works will last until the end of the summer and total €400,000. Construction will be carried out at night to minimise disruption to traffic and commercial activities in the neighbourhood. A dispute arose earlier this month within the Dilliès government regarding the redevelopment of the square, with critics calling it a relic of the former government while Van den Brandt pointed out that permits had already been issued and a budget approved. Dilliès said that, under his administration, the redesign of the roundabout had
to be inextricably linked to the broader redevelopment project for Boulevard de Waterloo and Avenue de la Toison d’Or. Now a compromise has now been reached, with various adjustments to the Boulevard de Waterloo redevelopment project. In the debate over whether Louise roundabout should have one or two lanes, a compromise has been reached by combining a central lane within the roundabout with additional sorting lanes at the roundabout’s exits. An agreement has also been reached with the City of Brussels to change the direction
of traffic on Rue du Grand Cerf, which will result in fewer cars having to drive via Louise, as they will be directed straight to the Louise tunnels. A third compromise is moving the exit from the parking zone on Boulevard Waterloo to Place René Cliquet, which will also direct cars straight to the tunnels. Lastly, special lanes with raised kerbs have been provided for emergency services, which only they may use. This should prevent, for example, an ambulance from getting stuck in the traffic
jam at the roundabout. “This is good news for the thousands of pedestrians, cyclists and tram and metro users who cross the Louise roundabout every day,” Van den Brandt said in a statement. In parallel to the changes at Louise, the redevelopment of Boulevard de Waterloo, led by the federal fund for Brussels, Beliris, with a budget of €16 million, provides for new on-street parking spaces and a new distribution of exit flows from the underground car park, notably via Porte de Namur. These developments
will also complement the cycle network around Brussels’ inner ring road.
Louise roundabout, Brussels, Boris Dilliès, Elke Van den Brandt, MR, Groen, reconstruction, traffic flow, Rue du Grand Cerf, Louise tunnels, Beliris, Boulevard de Waterloo, Avenue de la Toison d'Or, emergency services lanes, cycle network