Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Parallelweg on the Left Bank will be restricted to local traffic for Linkeroever, Zwindrecht, and Burcht until the Waasland Tunnel reopens end-February 2026. Minister Annick De Ridder oversees the trial.
As VRT News reported, the Parallelweg on the Left Bank will now be reserved only for local traffic until the Waasland Tunnel reopens. Authorities will also set up a new traffic test on the N420 Parallelweg. The road is meant to serve residents of Linkeroever, Zwindrecht, and Burcht.
What changes are coming to Antwerp’s Parallelweg during the Waasland tunnel closure?
Officials mentioned that in recent months, the road has been used as a shortcut by drivers from the E17 and E34 highways. Many have taken it to reach the Linkeroever exit and the Kennedy Tunnel faster, avoiding traffic jams on the main roads. This caused heavy congestion, unsafe maneuvers, and frustration for residents. The traffic measures are intended to restore the road’s original purpose.
Now, a new test setup will be introduced that allows only local traffic on the road. The change will help residents of Linkeroever, Zwindrecht, and Burcht move safely and without delays. Signage will be installed soon, and the trial will start immediately.
“With this test setup, we want to drastically reduce rat-running, preserve the available capacity on the Parallelweg for local traffic and prevent navigation systems from suggesting this route as an alternative,”
says Flemish Minister for Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA).
The trial will remain in place until the Waasland Tunnel construction is finished. Officials confirmed last week that the tunnel will stay closed until the end of February 2026. During this period, authorities will watch how the local traffic restriction affects safety and traffic flow. After the tunnel reopens, the situation will be reviewed and evaluated.
The Waaslandtunnel first opened on 10 September 1933, becoming the 1st vehicular tunnel under the Scheldt River in Belgium. In the decades since, the tunnel served as a key link between the city centre of Antwerp and the Left Bank (Linkeroever).
Over time, traffic increased far beyond what the original design envisaged, and by the 1960s, the pressure on the tunnel had grown so much that the nearby Kennedy tunnel was opened in May 1969 to ease congestion.
By 2025, after some 92 years of service, authorities began major renovation works: on 8 September 2025, the tunnel was closed entirely, as a project by BESIX Unitec began to replace its ventilation system and make safety upgrades.
