The renovation of the Vilvoorde Viaduct on the Brussels Orbital motorway in Flemish Brabant got underway yesterday (Wednesday 9 August). The work that will take some 8 years to complete is the largest project of its kind undertaken in Flanders since the late 1970’s. It will cost an estimated half a billion euro.
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Renovation work on the Vilvoorde Viaduct has got under way
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From 16 August there will be disruption for traffic heading east (towards the E19, Zaventem Airport,…) over the viaduct.
The Vilvoorde Viaduct carries the Brussels Orbital Motorway over the Brussels-Scheldt Sea Canal. It is 1.7 km and 35 meters high. It was designed in the 1970s and opened to traffic in 1978. Some 150,000 vehicles use it every day. The viaduct’s structure is now in poor condition and the renovation is much needed. The overall structure of the viaduct, its load-bearing structure and its interior will all be renovated in a project that it is hoped will prolong the viaduct’s life by a further 50 years.
Given that one of the country’s busiest stretches of motorway passes over the Vilvoorde Viaduct the aim is to, in as far as is possible, ensure that traffic can still use the viaduct during the 8-year renovation project. To this end the work has been spilt up into stages. During each stage, only part of the bridge will be closed and traffic be able to continue travel over the viaduct, albeit with a 50 km/h speed limit in force.
The first stage of the works will run from August 2023 until the end of 2025. This will have an impact on traffic travelling east over the viaduct. During the second phase that is scheduled from spring 2026 to spring 2027 work will be carried out on the westbound carriageway. Phases three and four, planned from spring 2027 to late 2030, will cause the greatest disruption.
The renovation work will allow for the opening op a fourth lane in both directions. This will increase capacity and (hopefully) reduce congestion on the Brussels Orbital Motorway.