04.05.2020
For years, the city of Antwerp has been struggling with heavy traffic and heavy traffic congestions on the Ring Road. The Oosterweel Connection will improve the flow of traffic and reduce nuisance caused by noise and air pollution. Space is also created for new parks in the ring zone that will greatly improve the living environment. The Ring Road will then no longer be a wall partitioning the city of Antwerp. The environmental permit has meanwhile been submitted for the Oosterweel project, for the section Right Bank and the Schelde Tunnel. Construction of the Ring Road will commence in 2021. In collaboration with Lantis ZJA delivered not only the architectural design of the left bank of the Oosterweel Connection, but also the design of the right bank of the Schelde river.
Closing the Antwerp Ring Road
The Oosterweel Connection is a new motorway that will close the Antwerp Ring Road by connecting the left and right banks of the Schelde river. It will greatly improve the flow of traffic and reduce the number of traffic jams. The Antwerp Ring Road comes full circle by constructing a new tunnel under the Schelde river as well as tunnels under the Albert Canal that connect to the existing Ring Road. The construction of the Schelde tunnel will create a direct connection for traffic between the left bank and the southern port. There is a separate tunnel tube for cyclists.
On the Right Bank, the emphasis is explicitly on the relationship with the green zones and the easy access to these zones for cyclists and pedestrians. This has led to many new bicycle paths, featuring bridges and underpasses that make neighbourhoods and green zones more accessible. By recessing the Antwerp Ring Road and by covering the roof as much as possible the Oosterweel Connection will drastically improve the integration into the city and the landscape. The recess will also improve the relationship between neighbourhoods with extra attention to greenery, cyclists and pedestrians.
