New Linkeroever and Zwijndrecht exit will be put into use tonight: “Milestone for Oosterweel project” (Antwerp)

Anthony Casteels of contractor Rinkoniên returned the large spade with which the works on the Linkeroever symbolically started in 2018 to Luc Hellemans of Lantis on Wednesday. With this, both gentlemen heralded a new milestone in the Oosterweel project. With the exception of the Scheldt tunnel, which is still under construction, the last new (highway) roads on the Left Bank and in Zwijndrecht will be put into use tonight.

This also includes the new exit from the Kennedy tunnel (coming from Antwerp) towards Zelzate (E34) and the Linkeroever/Zwijndrecht exit. This exit can handle a larger capacity than the temporary exit and will also be located a lot further from the tunnel, beyond the park bridge over the highway. This should give road users more time and space to take the exit safely and smoothly.

Parallel road

The temporary Linkeroever exit, which leads to Blancefloerlaan at the Mediahuis buildings, will disappear, as will the temporary connection to the E34. These roads will be demolished to make way for the construction of the Katwilgbos.

The two last, final parts of the Parallelweg will also be opened tonight. The capacity is increasing, although Lantis emphasizes that it can still be very busy, pending the new Scheldt tunnel and fully completed Ring Road.

A lot is still needed to convert traffic from the temporary to the new situation. The work for this will start on Wednesday evening at 7 pm and end at 5 pm. Traffic will be stopped briefly at certain times. Lantis asks motorists to moderate their speed and follow the directions.

Ring Park West

The works on the Left Bank were completed six months earlier than planned. “And we are very proud of that,” says Anthony Casteels, project director of contractor Rinkoniên. “These were enormous works, with 200,000 tons of asphalt and 50,000 m³ of reinforced concrete. We have moved 2 million cubic meters of earth, and another 1.5 million m³ will be added. Because now that we have finished the new highways, we are continuing to work on the large verges, kilometers of new cycle paths and we are replanting the entire area.”

This means that the construction of the first Ringpark will start: the Ringpark West. The existing nature reserves Het Rot, Blokkersdijk, Sint-Annabos, Vlietbos and Middenvijver are connected via ecoducts, streams and cycle and walking paths. The green area of ​​no less than 500 hectares should be ready in the autumn of 2025. “It will be one of the largest parks in an urban environment,” says Luc Hellemans of Lantis.