Part of Brussels ring closed this weekend

Part of the ring road around Brussels in Zaventem will be closed from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon while a bridge is installed.

The closure will last from 20.00 on Saturday to 14:00 on Sunday, according to Flemish roads agency De Werkvennootschap.

Serious disruption is expected and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

De Werkvennootschap is currently carrying out a number of works on the Brussels ring road, including the old and unsafe Hector Henneau bridge which is being replaced in several phases by two new bridges right next to each other.

This weekend, the second and final section of the new bridge over the ring road will be installed. It is the size of half a football pitch (100m long and over 27m wide).

Both the ring road and the Hector Henneau bridge will be closed to ensure the safety of both road users and workers.

“What’s being realised on the ring road Saturday night and night is truly a feat of engineering,” said Flemish mobility minister Lydia Peeters (Open VLD).

“Allowing a bridge of this size to cross the ring road remotely is a very exceptional operation and an incredibly important milestone in the realisation of a safer bridge at this location.

"Road users are best advised to avoid the area until Sunday afternoon. We expect heavy traffic on the diversion routes."

Work first began at the end of April 2021 and is due to be completed in April 2024.