2023-08-19 09:09:24
Renovation work on the Vilvoorde viaduct begins this Thursday. These, whose cost is estimated at 435 million euros, should last eight years. But why such long construction sites here?
Maintain traffic 7 days a week at all costs
The objective is to maintain traffic on the viaduct as much as possible, with work divided into different phases. During each stage, only part of the bridge will be unavailable and traffic will continue on the other part, with a speed reduced to 50 km/h.
1.7 kilometers long and 35 meters high, the viaduct was designed in the 1970s and opened to car traffic in 1978, it is crossed by more than 150,000 vehicles every day. Imagine the postponement of traffic necessary in the event of a permanent cut during the works.
Work phases
From now on, the traffic lanes will be narrowed and the speed will be limited to 50 km/h on the inner ring. The first phase of the works should run until the end of 2025, with disruptions on the inner ring and an impact on traffic towards Zaventem. During the second phase, from spring 2026 to spring 2027, the work area will move in particular to the outer ring. Phases three and four, from spring 2027 to the end of 2030, will cause the greatest nuisance.
From April 2024 to the end of 2025, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes will not be able to access the Viaduct in the direction of Zaventem during weekends. THE advice on possible alternative routes are listed here.
A renovation to increase the capacity of the bridge
The structure of the viaduct is in poor condition today and its renovation has therefore become necessary. It concerns the overall structure of the bridge, its load-bearing structure and the interior of the building and these works should be good until 2078. It is therefore necessary to reinforce the first bridge, which was not initially designed to support the weight of five lanes of traffic. Thus, the first step will consist in consolidating the interior viaduct and then working on the exterior part of it. Eventually, thanks to the renovation and extension, a fourth lane might be opened in each direction of the viaduct.
1692440071
#years #renovation #viaduct #construction #sites #long
