Schaerbeek’s Boulevard Lambermont to be partially closed for almost six months

Roadworks to replace an old water main have begun on Boulevard Lambermont, the busiest street in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek, and are expected to last until the end of October. 

“Boulevard Lambermont is a major access road,” said Inge Paemen, spokesperson for Brussels Mobility.

“Closing it off will certainly cause disruption, even during the summer. People will have to get used to the new situation, and the quietest part of the holidays only begins after 21 July.”

Despite the impact of the works, which will completely cut off traffic heading towards Meiser for almost half a year, Schaerbeek authorities said they were surprised by the project.

Brussels water utility company Vivaqua only announced the construction project on Monday, after the Construction Sites Coordination Committee, a regional body that coordinates all building sites, granted permission last week. It was only afterwards that consultations took place with the municipality.

“The works are necessary, but it’s strange that we were told so late,” said Schaerbeek mayor Martin De Brabant (MR).

“It wasn’t until Friday that we sat down with Vivaqua to discuss the diversion. These are not going to be easy weeks and months, so I find it a pity that things have turned out this way.”

The length of the closure is also the subject of some confusion. Alderman for public works Gudrun Willems (Groen) said Boulevard Lambermont would only be closed during the summer months, but project owner Vivaqua insists it will be closed til the end of October.

“We first explored all options that would not require any roads to be closed, but in the end, there turned out to be no other solution,” said Vivaqua spokesperson Lucie Moers.

The late communication is reportedly the result of an initial rejection by the coordination committee. 

While Vivaqua initially wanted to lay the new water main via the service road that runs alongside the Main Street, which would have caused far less disruption, this idea was rejected due to protected trees at the site. Given the urgency of the repairs, combined with the holiday period bringing lighter traffic, new plans were pushed forward quickly. 

The works will take place on Boulevard Lambermont between Avenue Louis Bertrand and Avenue Chazal. 

Traffic heading towards the Brussels canal and towards the A12 motorway will still be able to pass through and junctions will remain open to allow vehicles to cross Boulevard Lambermont. 

Further works will begin in mid-October, but these will involve closing only one lane in each direction. From mid-November, Boulevard Lambermont is expected to be fully open to traffic again. 

The diversion applies only to motorists. Cyclists and pedestrians will not be affected by the works. Public transport, including tram 7, will also run as normal for the entire duration of the works.

The project entails replacing a water main that dates back to 1930 and is in very poor condition. Because the pipe sometimes runs directly beneath the tram tracks, a burst would have major consequences, not only for the water supply but also for the stability of the road and the tram network. 

The old water main will remain in place during the works and continue to supply drinking water to the neighbourhood.