Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Starting end of October 2025, Antwerp drivers can use a temporary highway by Lantis to demolish the Merksem viaduct. Full Oosterweel Ring opens in 2033; Laure Stuck oversees updates.
From the end of October 2025, motorists will be able to use the 1st section of a temporary road in Antwerp. The temporary road is part of the major Oosterweel connection project. The construction of the bypass is in order for Lantis, the public company managing the project, to begin demolishing the old Merksem viaduct, close to the Sportpaleis.
After dismantling the viaduct, the project will turn to the busiest part of the Antwerp Ring Road, which will be constructed as an underground segment of freeway in tunnel sections. Officials mentioned that the reason for choosing the underground design is that it will reduce noise for residents who live near it, improve the flow of traffic, and help the highway be more integrated with the city.
When will the 1st section of Antwerp’s Oosterweel bypass open?
The bypass stretches from the Antwerp-North interchange, where it connects with the A12 motorway, to the Antwerp-East interchange, linking with the E313. Construction of the temporary highway is divided into 2 parts.
The northern portion connects the Antwerp-Noord interchange with the Sportpaleis. The eastern portion will connect the Sportpaleis with the Antwerp-East interchange, maintaining traffic connections with central eastern Antwerp and the rest of the motorway network.
“In the coming period, only road markings and noise barriers need to be installed,”
Says Laure Stuck of Lantis.
Laure Stuck from Lantis explained that the bridge is already visible to motorists travelling on the ring, signalling the progress of one of the region’s largest road projects. She warned, however, that the opening will come with some disruptions.
She mentioned that these disturbances are expected not only during the official launch but also in the weeks beforehand, as the final construction works are completed to make sure the road is safe and fully operational.
The eastern section of the bypass, which connects towards the Netherlands, is planned to open in the summer of 2026. The northern section, leading towards Ghent, will follow in the autumn of that same year. By 2027, drivers will also be able to travel along the eastern section heading to Ghent.
The full Antwerp Ring is scheduled to open in 2033. At that point, Lantis will temporarily close the bypass again as part of the final works to integrate the new ring into the existing road network.
“We will communicate about this thoroughly in advance. But everything will also be clearly marked on site using crash attenuators, so that no one is confused the moment they drive over the new highway for the first time,”
Says Stuck.
The Oosterweel connection is one of the biggest road projects in Belgium. The Antwerp Ring Road was first built in the 1960s and has been upgraded many times as traffic grew. Similar work has been done in Brussels and Ghent, where highways and viaducts were rebuilt to improve traffic flow. The project includes tunnels, bridges, and noise barriers to protect nearby residents. Green landscaping is also part of the plan.
