2023-11-22 16:03:00
The “first shovel” was given by the authorities present in large numbers this Wednesday in the middle of the Schuman roundregarding. A first shovel which, that said, is not really one given the construction site in full swing since Monday.
The meager trees have already been uprooted, the construction equipment is on site: the metamorphosis of the Schuman roundregarding has begun. “We will never once more call this place a roundregarding,” declared Minister Karine Lalieux (PS), in charge of Beliris, the federal agency in charge, during this press conference.
The opportunity to clarify several points of this urban mega-project. Without doubt one of the most emblematic of the legislature.
What is the project ? And why ?
No more roundregarding. The site will be completely redeveloped into a meeting area. A vast pedestrian zone will be created and car traffic will literally be cut off. In the center, a majestic translucent tree-lined canopy is planned. The shape of which is intended to be a nod to the European Parliament.
But why such a project? The project has been in the works for a decade. Both Europe and the Brussels Region have long wanted to create “a new icon of Europe”, a strong architectural gesture in the heart of the European district. The project amounts to 25 million euros: 17 financed by Europe, 8 by the federal government via Beliris.
How long will the project last, what impact?
The project has just been launched and is not expected to be completed before winter 2025. So a minimum of two years of work.
Traffic disruptions will vary depending on the phases of the work. Currently, two major restrictive measures have already been taken: the reduction of a strip of avenue de Cortenberg and the removal of a lane in the roundregarding.
Commuters, you have been warned: work to redevelop the Schuman roundregarding in Brussels will begin this Monday
Why start construction now when appeals are underway?
In the European district, the mega-project is far from gaining consensus. “We are opposed to the project… but not to the fact of doing something. For traders, the real problem is the traffic cutoff at the roundregarding. We will have to take a big detour to get there,” we were told recently at Thé 14, a real institution in the neighborhood.
It’s time for more than two years of construction at the Schuman roundregarding: “We’re going to have congestion, people will avoid the area”
Because the history of the project is also a legal saga strewn with appeals and town planning procedures. In the neighborhoods, teeth are gnashing. A first appeal from local residents was therefore lodged once morest the first permit. In the meantime, another permit was issued with some minor modifications. We learn that new appeals will soon be filed, for cancellation and suspension, at the beginning of December.
Why then launch the project in the face of this uncertainty? Two reasons. The first reason is technical. The subsidies from the European recovery plan must be used before 2026. The second reason results from a political choice: Federal and Region want to move forward and accept this desire. “I understand the concerns. People of course have the right to appeal and we respect it. But we want to move forward,” Minister Lalieux explains. “The project has been discussed for 10 years. Many people complain that things are not moving fast enough… It is not acceptable to wait another two years without doing anything.”
Several non-profit organizations oppose the permit granted for the redevelopment of the Schuman roundregarding, appeals to the Council of State envisaged
What impact on mobility in Brussels?
Every day, the roundregarding sees thousands of motorists pass by. It must be said that the site is on the route of commuters coming from the E40 to reach the Pentagon. One thing is certain: habits will have to change drastically.
The roundregarding will in fact completely disappear. Instead, there will be a pedestrian zone and cycling infrastructure. Cars will only be able to travel between avenue de Cortenbergh and rue de la Loi.
Concretely, it will no longer be possible to arrive at the site from avenue d’Auderghem or rue Froissart, which will be put in a dead end. The small section of rue de la Loi between the park and the roundregarding will be completely pedestrianized.
On the other hand, it will still be possible to access Rue de la Loi from Avenue de Cortenbergh but the number of lanes will be reduced.
Schuman roundregarding redevelopment project. ©Brussels Mobility
Towards a future ban on demonstrations?
A nagging fear concerns the future activities tolerated on the square. Currently, there are countless events of all kinds on this small square with a view of the major institutions.
Some fear that once redeveloped, the square will no longer host demonstrations and will become a “neutral zone”. A rumor brushed aside by Minister Lalieux this Wednesday. “It will always be a space for demands.”
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