Brussels study recommends closing 5 tunnels to save €62.8 million
Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper): A study at the Good Move forum suggests closing five Brussels tunnels, like Vleurgat and Baljuw, to save €47 million and improve public spaces. The busy Annie Cordy tunnel cost €500 million to renovate. These changes aim to reduce car traffic and make the city better for pedestrians and cyclists.
A study about Brussels car tunnels will be presented on Monday at the Good Move forum. Tunnels like the Annie Cordy tunnel are crucial for traffic, with around 40,000 cars using it daily in 2019. They help keep traffic flowing but have downsides, like high maintenance costs and limited escape routes during emergencies. The Annie Cordy tunnel renovation cost 500 million euros after it started needing repairs in 2015. Brussels Mobility, along with research agencies, is looking into the future of 29 tunnels to help reduce car traffic and address overcrowding.
Should Brussels close five tunnels to save €62.8 million and enhance public spaces?
A new study has found that five short road tunnels in Brussels should be closed soon to improve public spaces and save money. The Vleurgat and Baljuw tunnels on Avenue Louise don’t help traffic much and closing them could save over 47 million euros combined. The study also suggests closing two tunnels on the central ring, the Boileau and Georges Henri tunnels, to make the area better for pedestrians and cyclists. These changes could enhance the city without greatly affecting car traffic.
A study suggests closing the Woluwetunnel on Woluwelaan because it’s old and expensive to fix. It doesn’t help with traffic, and closing it could save the area 15.8 million euros. The researchers found that closing these five tunnels would only add a few minutes to travel times on longer routes. They also recommend not investing in tunnels like Madou, Kunst-Wet, Naamsepoort, and Tervuren, since closing them would save money and not significantly affect traffic.
