Osterweel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Tonight at 22:00, a new arch bridge will be installed across the Albert Canal in Merksem. The bypass connects to the Antwerp ring road as a temporary road infrastructure while the new arch bridge takes position over the Albert Canal within Merksem.
The installation of a new arch bridge across the Albert Canal at Merksem functions as part of a temporary highway adjacent to the Antwerp Ring Road. The construction process starts tonight at 22:00, marking important progress in Oosterweel’s ongoing connection efforts. The existing Merksem viaduct faces demolition this year for the construction of new infrastructure. The IJzerlaan bicycle bridge provides residents and bystanders with a viewing spot to observe the bridge placement.
A 150-meter-long blue-green arch bridge weighing 2,800 tons will cross the Albert Canal using a pontoon system on Sunday morning between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM. The bridge positioning process will become visible to observers standing on the IJzerlaan bicycle bridge while crews place the bridge on both banks before 22:00. This temporary highway directs all Antwerp ring road traffic towards Dutch territory after becoming operational. The interim bypass serves as an essential transition because the construction of the Oosterweel connection requires the demolition of the existing viaduct to build tunnels and trenches for lowering the ring road.
What is the background of the Antwerp Ring Road and Oosterweel connection project?
Nearly 300,000 vehicles circulate daily through the vital infrastructure connector of Antwerp Ring Road in Belgium as it serves major European transportation routes to the Netherlands. The Oosterweel connection project functions as a component of the “Master Plan 2030” to resolve existing traffic congestion and environmental problems by redesigning the ring road structure. The project requires the construction of tunnels while sectioning down parts of the ring to build a continuous network of highways.
The extension of the circular highway includes the recently built arch bridge spanning the Albert Canal to serve as a temporary route for traffic during project development. Approximately 40,000 vessels use the Albert Canal each year because the canal represents a vital water transportation route for freight. According to current projections, the Oosterweel connection will become operational in 2033 while embodying one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Belgium, with a total cost exceeding €4 billion.
