Granted Urban.br works will start in the fall and will last 3 years. Brussels State Secretary for Urban Planning Pascal Smit (Wan Brussels-Foret) and Minister for Mobility and Public Works Elke van den Brandt (Groene) reported this on Friday.
Reconstruction should reconnect the two banks of the canal to each other through a ‘bridge square’ with plenty of room for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. By reducing and diverting the space available for vehicular traffic, according to the press release, “a lot of space is created for pleasant meeting spaces, many additional trees and a real forecourt for the future museum KANAL – Center Pompidou, which is currently being developed”.
“Everyone who walks or cycles on Saincteletteplein today wants to leave as soon as possible,” says Smit. “But you feel the potential, you see the inspiring architecture, the perspective of the canal and the new Museum of Contemporary Art that is being born. My goal was to turn this part of the city into a beautiful piece of Brussels on a human scale when I started a big project in 2017, so I am very happy and proud that the reconstruction You can start now!”
More room for the active road user
The design redraws and displays lanes for vehicular traffic. The priority is to keep traffic out of neighborhoods. According to the press release, the flow between Handelskaai and Diksmuidelaan will be simplified so that it is no longer possible to turn from Diksmuidelaan towards IJzerplein. This measure makes it possible to build a tram station between Maximiliaanpark, IJzer metro station and the park in Diksmuidelaan.
For pedestrians, there will be large walking areas and crossings with coordinated traffic lights. There will be separate ocher bike paths throughout the area, as well as crossing points with coordinated traffic lights.
Bridge Square
Concretely, the existing bridges will be retained. For the construction of the “Bridge Square”, the space available for pedestrians and cyclists will be increased by widening the outer sides of the existing bridges by adding two (light) pedestrian bridges. In total, 124 trees were provided in the project.
There will be a wide forecourt in front of the canal and theater facades. And IJzerplein gets a new look thanks to the tree-lined stretch of park at Handelskaai and the forecourt of Maximiliaanpark. On the Maximiliaanpark side, this will provide more space between Boudewijnlaan and Antwerpselaan.
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