Kortrijk (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): On 4th October a new bridge opened, linking the Kortrijk Ring (R8) to the A19. Mayor Vincent Van Quickenborne celebrated this milestone for better traffic flow and safety. More improvements are planned.
For over 20 years, drivers from the Kortrijk Ring (R8) to the A19 had to deal with long waits at traffic lights and tricky turns, making the area a well-known problem spot for traffic jams and accidents. Even though many people were upset and worried about safety, no big changes were made for a long time to fix the problem, keeping the intersection a major cause of traffic issues in the area.
What changes were made to the Kortrijk Ring (R8) and A19 junction?
Two years ago, construction started to fix this dangerous intersection. The project aimed to improve traffic flow by removing the traffic lights and simplifying the tricky turns, making it safer and easier to travel between the R8 and A19. This long-awaited upgrade was expected to cut down on delays, reduce traffic jams, and improve safety on the roads.
It has been said that the bridge connects the inner ring of the R8 directly to the A19 motorway. They mentioned that although this is a great improvement, there’s still more work. The mayor, Vincent Van Quickenborne, called this moment historic because it will help traffic flow better and make things safer and easier for daily commuters, which will also support the area’s growth in the future.
The ring road around Kortrijk was built in 1974 50 years ago. Some parts were still missing, especially in Kortrijk and Kuurne, which caused many accidents and traffic jams. The mayor is glad that part of the road is open for safe and smooth travel. The work isn’t done yet, though. Next week, they will start working on the outer ring of the R8, and the last phase will begin next spring, which includes fixing the Gullegem-Moorsele ramps and the intersection with Gullegemstraat.
