Geetbets (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Galgestraat in Geetbets, Sint-Truiden is being rebuilt for safety after many accidents. The road will move away from the Melsterbeek River, with a new bike path, green buffer, and rest areas. Mayor Roggen confirms work will start in August 2025, finishing by August 2026.
The Galgestraat, a road connecting the sub-municipality of Grazen with Sint-Truiden, is being rebuilt. It is a road that runs along the Melsterbeek River. Mayor Roggen explains that the road has been a problem for a long time.
They are moving the road further away from the Melsterbeek River. They mentioned that this will make it safer for drivers. They are also building a new bike path for people to ride safely. They are adding a traffic bump and a crossing near the Cistercian Abbey. The town wants to make the Galgestraat a safer for everyone.
“We already took a few measures back then,”
Says Roggen.
“The maximum speed was lowered and there were also a few adjustments to the road. But now we are going to completely reconstruct the Galgestraat.”
How is Geetbets transforming Galgestraat for safety and nature?
According to Roggen, the Galgestraat project is more than just making the road safer. They are also making the area around the road nicer. They will improve the Melsterbeek River. He mentioned that they will add a special area for the river to hold water in the winter. They will also add plants to the river. They will also make sure the area is good for animals and plants.
The Galgestraat project is receiving subsidies of 4.6 million euros from the Flemish Environment Agency and the province. This money will help pay for the road work. According to the officials, one of the goals is to make a bigger space between the Melsterbeek River and the road. This will make the road safer and better for the environment.
They will build a new, wide bike path between the road and the river. They mentioned that this will replace the old bike path and make it safer for cyclists. They will also add a green area between the road and the surrounding area. The town of Sint-Truiden isn’t paying for this part of the project. The town had a meeting on September 12, 2024, to tell people about the project.
“We are going to make the bank more sloping,”
Says the mayor.
“And there will be a wide cycle path between the road and the stream, where the road is now.”
The town has already bought 2.2 hectares of land for the project. According to the officials, they have enough space to do the work. They have finished the agreement to buy the land, so the work can start without any more delays.
The work will start in August 2025. They are moving the road to a field where animals graze. They mentioned that the project will be finished by August 2026 if everything goes according to plan.
“We also opt for a green buffer, so that the street is separate,”
Says Roggen.
“The renovated Galgestraat will be located on what is now pasture.”
There have been many accidents in a few months, including some where people died in Galgestraat, Gestbets. The town has tried to make the road safer before. They lowered the speed limit and made some small changes to the road. But now they are making bigger changes.
“When I first became mayor, in 2013, there were 4 serious accidents in the street in a few months. 2 of those accidents even had a fatal outcome.”
