Schuman roundabout makeover enters next phase, prompting traffic changes

A new phase in the redevelopment of the Schuman roundabout will begin on Thursday 28 August, public contractor Beliris has announced.

The central and southern parts of the roundabout will be closed during this next phase, resulting in traffic changes that correspond to the final plan, meaning they will remain in force after the completion of the works, scheduled for the end of 2026.

The connection between the neighbourhoods north and south of the square will only be possible by car via Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée.

Motorists arriving from Avenue de Cortenbergh and the E40 motorway will still be able to continue their journey into the city centre via the Rue de la Loi.

Avenue d'Auderghem and Rue Froissart will become dead ends. The sections before the Schuman roundabout will remain accessible only to local traffic, cyclists and deliveries.

Stib bus lines 12, 21, 56, 60 and 79 will continue to be diverted via Maelbeek station, but once the works are completed, they will resume their normal route across the square.

“A bollard will be installed that will automatically lower when a bus approaches,” Stib spokesperson Guy Sablon told Bruzz.

“There will be a separate bus lane on the square so that pedestrians and cyclists know to take care, similar to the situation on Chaussée d'Ixelles.”

Sablon said the number of buses driving across the square during rush hour will be quite high: “We are initially assuming a return to the situation as it was before the works, but we will certainly evaluate the situation.”

Most of the streets around the Schuman roundabout have already been redesigned, according to Beliris, improving access for non-motorists and greenifying the area.

“The aim of the works is to transform the busy roundabout into a pleasant meeting place where active mobility is central,” said Beliris.

“The square will be laid out with concentric circles that draw the eye to the centre. Large planters will provide extra greenery both on the square and around it.”

The redevelopment came under threat during the summer due to additional costs that the regional government cannot finance because of both budgetary constraints and a lack of government in Brussels, prompting the region to send a letter to European institutions – many of which are located on the roundabout – asking for financial support for the project.

Prime minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) called the request “a disgrace” in the federal parliament and said that the European institutions should ignore the letter.

In the meantime, the budget problem remains unchanged, although the authorities involved are looking into various potential solutions, including funds from the European Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRF).

One of the more expensive parts of the renovation, a massive canopy over the roundabout, was scrapped in order to save €13 million.

“Should the region decide at a later date to release this amount, the works for the pedestrian zone will have to be reopened,” a decision on the matter reads.