Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Traffic lights on Genk’s F75 cycle highway malfunction, turning red without cyclists. Deputy for Mobility Laura Olaerts’ office says the provincial government has partially resolved the issue.
As VRT News reported, cyclists on the F75 cycle highway in Genk are experiencing problems with new traffic lights. The F75 runs partly along the old coal mine railway bed and is a busy route for commuters and recreational cyclists.
They mentioned that traffic lights were installed at crossings, including over the Kolenspoor, to help cyclists cross busy roads safely. But the lights are not working properly. Sometimes they turn red when no cyclists are nearby. Other times, they stay green even when cyclists are waiting to cross.
What is causing malfunctions on Genk’s F75 cycle highway lights?
The office of Deputy for Mobility Laura Olaerts (N-VA) has confirmed problems with the traffic lights on the F75 cycle highway in Genk. Officials said some issues have been partially fixed, but the system is still not fully functional. Cyclists may still face delays or unsafe crossings because cycle detection and signal coordination are not yet reliable.
“Originally, there were registration loops installed that could detect cyclists,”
says spokesperson Tim De Decker.
“But those loops couldn’t detect carbon-carbon bicycles. We solved that by replacing the registration loops with cameras.”
Deputy Olaerts’ office said repairs and adjustments are continuing. City engineers are monitoring the system to ensure it becomes fully operational. Cyclists are advised to be careful at crossings and follow safety rules until the traffic lights work correctly.
“Cyclists who now want to turn towards the KRC Genk stadium are being registered as cyclists going straight ahead and trying to cross the road,”
the cabinet says.
“As a result, the light for motorists briefly turns red. We’re looking into how we can resolve this as well.”
In Belgium, similar issues with cycling infrastructure have occurred before. In 2020, new traffic signals were installed on a busy cycling route in Antwerp, but the signal had issues, causing cyclists to have to take temporary measures for safety. In 2022, an issue arose in Leuven with sensors on the main cycling paths for crossing, creating confusion and minor accidents until the sensors were fixed.
