8 years of disruption for motorists on the Brussels Orbital during major roadworks on the Vilvoorde Viaduct

The work due to be carried out on the bridge is the most major programme of roadworks to be carried out since it opened to traffic in the late 1970s.

The Vilvoorde Viaduct was designed to last 100 years. Now, 45 years since it opened to traffic in 1978, the viaduct is in a poor condition. The volume of traffic that uses the bridge far exceeds the predictions made by the engineers that designed it in the 1970s. Currently, an average of 90,000 vehicles pass over the bridge in both directions every day.  

Marijn Struyf of De Werkvennootschap, the agency that is responsible for the renovation of the Vilvoorde Viaduct told VRT News that “There is more wear and tear on the viaduct that had been expected when it was designed.”

"This is why we are carrying out a complete renovation of the entire structure of the bridge. For constructions such as this it is not unusual that they undergo large-scale renovation work half-way through their life span”

Not only the superstructure, but also the support structure of the bridge will be renovated and strengthened. As is the case with many constructions built in the 1970s the Vilvoorde Viaduct has a coating that contains asbestos. This will be removed safely by experts. 

The work on the Vilvoorde Viaduct will cost an estimated 500 million euro. This is 5 times the amount estimated when a study into the renovation work required at the bridge was carried out in 2019. The Flemish Transport Minister Lydia Peeters (liberal) explains that high inflation and a sharp rise in the cost of construction materials are the main reasons for the fivefold rise in the estimated cost of the project.

Furthermore, “The bridge is in a much worse condition than initially believed and the removal of the asbestos that has been found was not included in the initial estimate. This has all played a role in pushing up the price”. 

The first phase of the work will get under way in August and will take until 2026 to complete. During the first phase three lanes will remain open to traffic over the viaduct in both directions. However, the lanes will be narrower than is the standard on motorways and a 50km/h speed limit will be in force.

Phase 2 of the project will get under way in 2027. During the second phase three lanes (narrowed) will remain open in one direction and two lanes in the other direction. De Werkvennootschap that is responsible for the project expects there to be “a lot of disruption” to traffic.

The project could be completed more quickly by closing more lanes on the motorway. However this would cause even more disruption to traffic.

The renovation work will allow for a fourth lane to be opened in each direction on what is currently the hard shoulder. 

The work on the viaduct will take 8 years to complete. However, it isn’t the only work planned on the Brussels Orbital Motorway in the coming years. Work will also be carried out on the motorway a couple of kilometres away at Zaventem.  A wider plan to upgrade the Brussels Orbital Motorway in Flemish Brabant will be carried out during the next 10 years. However, no dates have yet been set for when exactly the various stages of the work will be carried out.

The Flemish Brabant section of the Flemish employers’ federation Voka says that it is pleased that the timing of the project is now known and that the necessary resources are being made available to carry out the work on the viaduct. Voka calls on those in charge of the project to make every effort they can to keep disruption resulting from the work to a minimum.