Halle (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Traffic improvements at the Auguste Demaeghtlaan and Ninoofsesteenweg intersection in Halle, led by Mayor Marc Snoeck, have caused congestion instead of easing it due to poorly timed traffic lights and new bus stops blocking lanes.
During the summer, there was a lot of construction at the intersection of Auguste Demaeghtlaan and Ninoofsesteenweg in Halle. The goal was to improve traffic flow and safety, especially with the school year starting soon. They added new bus stops to make it easier for people to use public transport and installed extra traffic lights to help with traffic and keep pedestrians safe.
Why are traffic jams worse after upgrades at Halle’s Auguste Demaeghtlaan?
It has been said that a big part of the project was changing the traffic light system to make traffic flow better at the busy intersection. The upgrades were planned to be finished by the end of the summer, so everything would be ready for the school year starting on September 1. This was important to prevent any problems for students, parents, and public transport during the busy school times.
After the intersection at Auguste Demaeghtlaan and Ninoofsesteenweg in Halle was updated, it became clear that instead of helping traffic, it was causing a lot of congestion. According to Snoeck, one main problem is the new bus stops. Now, buses stop right at the intersection instead of in separate areas. This makes buses block a lane while people get on and off, which makes traffic worse, especially during busy times. Another big reason for the traffic jams is the changes to the traffic light system. Snoeck noticed that the green lights didn’t stay on long enough. Because of this, only a few cars can go through with each green light, which makes the backup of cars worse and increases wait times at the intersection. These problems together have caused many long traffic jams, frustrating drivers who thought traffic would be smoother after the improvements.
“We waited a while, but we’re not happy with the results,”
says Snoeck.
“The traffic jams are longer now than before the work, especially on Auguste Demaeghtlaan for cars coming from Sint-Pieters-Leeuw to Lembeek. The jams are happening all day, not just during rush hour.”
The mayor has told the Roads and Traffic Agency that he’s unhappy and wants them to check the traffic lights soon. We haven’t heard back yet, but he believes it will be fine because they have a good relationship with the agency.
