Bilzen (Brussels Morning Newspaper): In Bilzen, Belgium, Infrabel is upgrading railway crossings with a €31 million project, adding bridges and tunnels to enhance safety and mobility, expected to be completed by spring 2027.
In Bilzen, work on railway crossings began in March. A bridge is being built on Molenstraat and Boomstraat for all traffic, and a tunnel will be added on Sint-Lambertuslaan. Bicycle tunnels are planned for Nijverheidsstraat, Laakstraat, and Laarstraat, while the crossing in Rooi will close. The 31 million euro project is expected to finish by spring 2027, with some work already started in 2023, according to Frédéric Petit from Infrabel.
What are the impacts of the new bridge at Boomstraat and level crossing changes in Diepenbeek?
“We’re building a new bridge at Boomstraat to replace the current crossing,” says Petit. There will be night and weekend work in spring, and some train services will pause on weekends. All 7-level crossings will remain open until the new ones are ready.
In Diepenbeek, changes to level crossings a few years ago have affected traffic for drivers and cyclists. Guy Sillen, the alderman for Mobility in Bilzen, says they considered this in their plans. Only a few crossings will close, and the focus is on improving mobility, especially with a new tunnel on Sint-Lambertuslaan. He adds that two new bridges in Beverst will help reduce wait times for cars and trucks, and the missing part of the cycle highway will also be completed.
