© BELGIUM
Work at the Leonard intersection must continue, otherwise the Leonard tunnel will have to be closed. This is the conclusion of Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) after she asked for advice from an external tunnel safety officer.
The works at the Leonard Cross have been stirring people up since last week. The second phase started this week, closing the exit towards Waterloo from Oudergem until October. Initially, this was only going to happen at night, but because the Leonard Tunnel is in worse condition than first thought, work also has to continue during the day. The Walloon and Brussels governments and various municipalities had requested a postponement of the works, but Peeters decided to let the works continue as planned because they do not allow any postponement.
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Safety
Following the request from the municipalities and the regions, the minister requested advice from an external tunnel safety officer. This confirms that both the structural condition and the condition of the tunnel technical installations are so poor that safety cannot be sufficiently guaranteed in the longer term, she says.
“Thanks to a number of mitigating measures, including lowering the maximum speed, adjusting the flight concept and installing temporary tunnel lighting and a limited number of cameras, the situation during the work is acceptable for a short period of time, but there is little respite,” says the press release.
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Because work is also being done at the Leonard intersection during the day, there is a lot of inconvenience for Walloons who, for example, drive to the airport. — © BELGA
“If we interrupt the works, causing them to take longer, we run a very high risk of having to completely close the tunnel for the safety of all road users,” Peeters concludes.
The minister emphasizes that the works were indeed extensively prepared and that she is aware of the drastic impact on mobility in the wider area. The Roads and Traffic Agency will therefore continue to do everything it can to minimize the inconvenience, she says. “It is in everyone’s interest to offer solutions to road users and local residents, the quality of life of the surrounding municipalities must remain sustainable. The emphasis here is currently on discouraging traffic towards the Leonard intersection and promoting sustainable alternatives such as public transport or cycling.”