Dampoort is perfect for this holiday. — © FVV
The busy Dampoort roundabout was temporarily closed on Tuesday morning. Cars, freight traffic and buses have to take detours throughout the Easter holidays. Why is that necessary? And what else is possible?
What changes on Tuesday?
During the Easter holidays, one side of the Dampoort roundabout is cut off from the other side. As a result, you cannot go from the Sint-Amandsberg side to the Kasteellaan and Dok-Zuid side for two weeks. And that from Tuesday April 2 to Monday April 15. No car, bus or truck can cross it, in either direction. Cyclists and pedestrians do.
The brown part of the roundabout is closed. This means that cars cannot pass through the red circle. — © Roads and Traffic
Why is that necessary?
Because the end is in sight. After more than two years of complicated work on the sewers, underground pipes and roads, one job remains. One part of the roundabout that has been renovated still needs to be connected to the other, renovated part. The cycle and pedestrian paths will be extended and there is still a piece of road surface that needs to be renewed. And that is only possible by using the entire road.
What is not possible?
Those who come from Antwerpsesteenweg, Land van Waaslaan or Dendermondsesteenweg by car cannot go to Dok-Zuid, Dampoortstraat or Kasteellaan. The station car park is also inaccessible from that side. Conversely, you cannot take the roundabout from Kasteellaan or Dok-Zuid to drive to Sint-Amandsberg, Lochristi or Destelbergen. This will all be possible again from Monday 15 April.
The brown zone is closed. — © Roads and Traffic
What else is possible?
Driving between north and south remains possible during the Easter holidays. On one side of the roundabout you can drive between Kasteellaan, Dampoortstraat and Dok-Zuid. On the other hand, you can also drive to and from Koopvaardijlaan if you come from Antwerpsesteenweg, Land van Waaslaan or Dendermondsesteenweg. Traffic is diverted via the R4, the E17 and the Brusselsesteenweg (N9).
Traffic is diverted via the R4, the E17 and the Brusselsesteenweg (N9). — © Roads and Traffic
And by bike, on foot or by bus?
There is no additional inconvenience for cyclists and pedestrians, except for a few diversions. But those who travel by bus cannot pass Dampoort during the Easter holidays. The buses have to make a big detour. The nuisance is listed on the De Lijn website.
And after the Easter holidays?
Then all that remains is to finish the bus station, the traffic islands, the cycle and pedestrian paths and a wadi. The construction site will be completely completed by mid-May. Then we can start thinking about the car tunnel that Flanders wants to dig under the Dampoort. But that won’t be until tomorrow.
www.wegenenverkeer.be/dampoort
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