Work to start in May on Chaussée d'Ixelles traffic restrictions

The redevelopment of the Chaussée d'Ixelles, between Porte de Namur and Place Fernand Coq, will begin in May, it has been announced.

Application submissions for various licences required for the road’s revamp are to be undertaken in the coming days by Brussels-Capital officials.

The project will aim to make the artery a more free-flowing route. Following the redevelopment, priority will be given to buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians between the hours of 5:00 and 19:00. In the evening, car traffic will resume as normal.

“Residents had asked that cars be allowed back on the road once the stores are closed and rush hour is over, said Ixelles deputy mayor Caroline Désir.

The only motorists able to circulate on the road during the morning and late afternoon are those who require access to parking spaces or garages. Licence-plate-scanning cameras will be installed to ensure that the rules are respected.

Désir believes the new arrangements will enable buses to navigate the area more efficiently: “We know the problems with the 71 bus. This is the most-used STIB line and so the idea is to be able to improve traffic flow and to solve this capacity problem by injecting more buses on the line.”

She said a traffic plan for the surrounding roads, has yet to be finalised. “We will ensure that all streets in the area are 30kph zones to prevent these side streets, that are often one-way, from taking on traffic they could not bear,” Désir said.

Work should begin in May and last 10 months.