In a bid to improve traffic flows around Brussels, as well as offer addition transportation options, the Flemish Region has commissioned Arcadis and Sweco to complete the design for the redevelopment plans for the northern part of the road. Deloitte has been appointed the tax and financing partner for the €3 million per annum project.
Part of the ring road around Brussels has been slated for a comprehensive upgrade, with the Flemish regional government drawing up redevelopment plans for the road in 2016, which included a separation of traffic flows.
Government officials working on the project recently announced that they have called in consultancy and design firms Arcadis and Sweco, as the consortium ‘MoVeR0’, to further develop the concept design for the plans. The work will see the firms analyse the latest known traffic statistics, develop detailed technical plans, and consult local stakeholders.
The firms' work will affect the northern part of the road, located between the two connections with the E40. The aim of the redevelopment is an upgrade of infrastructure to smooth traffic flows in and around Brussels, for which the consortium will focus on separating the main carriageway away from parallel lanes – to better avoid ‘weaving manoeuvres’ on the road. In addition, the work creates additional public and bicycle options (through tunnels among others) in the region, improving the wider sustainable potential of the city’s key transport infrastructure, as well as adding additions connection of the capital’s suburbs to the centre.
The contract will see the firms join forces to deliver, among others, traffic research, technical plans, process management, advice on tendering, stakeholder management, and communication. The contract is estimated to be worth €3 million annually. Deloitte has been named the tax and financing partner for the project.
Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Ben Weyts says, “I am investing in this project to make traffic smoother and safer. Where it isn’t moving fast enough, we have to act intelligently. The investments in the redevelopment of the Brussels ring road will immediately be a lever for the Flemish economy.”
Luc Hellemans, CEO of Arcadis Europe South (Belgium, France, Italy and Spain), adds, “Our combination of expertise and capacity were the deciding factors for the acceptation of our proposal. The approach of Arcadis and Sweco guarantees the Flemish government support and quality throughout the entire process. What we offer is the continuous availability of a multidisciplinary team that will work closely with the client. This is also necessary for such a project, which hinges on close coordination with other mobility policies, existing projects, the environment, and the concerns of stakeholders. A project of this scale simply requires extra manpower and expertise.”