Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Leuven starts €3 million works on Minderbroedersstraat on August 18, 2025. The street’s pipes, sewers, and surface will be renewed in phases. Alderman Dirk Vansina leads the project.
As VRT News reported, the city of Leuven will start major works on Minderbroedersstraat on August 18, 2025. The street between the Botanical Garden and Parijsstraat is in bad condition. Officials mentioned that years of heavy traffic have damaged the road.
The underground pipes and sewers are also very old. They need to be replaced. The city will first renew the water and telecom lines. After that, the sewer system will be rebuilt. Dirty water and rainwater will go through separate pipes. When the underground work is done, the city will lay cobblestones.
How will Leuven’s €3M Minderbroedersstraat works unfold?
Alderman for Public Works Dirk Vansina (CD&V) says the project shows how Leuven wants to protect its history while also getting ready for future challenges linked to the climate and ageing infrastructure.
“The sewer work is no small feat,”
Vansina emphasises.
“Two branches of the Dijle River intersect under Minderbroedersstraat, and that’s causing some problems. Nevertheless, this intervention is necessary.”
According to officials, after the underground pipes and sewers are finished, the top layer of Minderbroedersstraat will also be renewed. The city of Leuven has chosen to use cobblestones to bring back the historic look of the street. This matches the style of nearby places like the Botanical Garden.
They mentioned that to limit problems for people in the area, the city will do the work in different steps. Each part of the street will be worked on one at a time. The city wants to keep traffic moving and make things easier for residents and businesses during the workday.
“With this, we primarily want to make it clear that you’re in the historic city centre,”
says the alderman.
“We also want to send the message that it’s a place where you should adjust your speed. In an area with a school and a residential care centre, that’s certainly not a bad idea.”
The city of Leuven will start the first phase of surface work on Minderbroedersstraat on August 18, 2025. The part between Parijsstraat and Onze-Lieve-Vrouwstraat will be closed for about one month. After that, work will move to the section between Onze-Lieve-Vrouwstraat and the Botanical Garden.
Traffic will be redirected through Naamsestraat, the Ring Road, and Kapucijnenvoer during the works. The full project should be done by the end of 2027. Still, Alderman Dirk Vansina warns that delays may happen. The city hopes to finish everything by early 2028. The total cost of the project is around €3 million.
According to officials, Minderbroedersstraat is an old street in the centre of Leuven with a rich history. It connects important parts of the lower city, like the Botanical Garden and Parijsstraat. The street has seen many years of use and was once part of a route used by monks and traders. Over time, traffic and weather caused damage to both the road and the pipes underneath. The area is known for its historic buildings and narrow layout.
