Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) has rejected calls to suspend the planned redevelopment of the Louise roundabout, insisting that abandoning the project and “starting again from scratch” is “not an option,” according to BRUZZ.
The disagreement emerged after Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès (MR) asked for all works linked to the project to be put on hold until the regional government could develop what his cabinet described as a “global and coordinated vision” for the wider Louise area.
Speaking to BRUZZ, Van den Brandt defended the redevelopment plans, arguing that the Louise roundabout remains "one of the most dangerous intersections" in the entire Brussels Region. "Anyone who has passed through it knows that."
"A project was developed to make the area safer, and a permit has been issued," she said.
She also pointed to pressure from urban.brussels, which has reportedly issued a formal notice requiring the works to be carried out before the end of the year. According to Van den Brandt's cabinet, funding for the redevelopment has already been allocated.
The Groen minister further argued that maintaining the current configuration was not sustainable. “Returning to an unsafe situation is not an option,” she said, adding that keeping the existing layout would also mean maintaining what she described as an “illegal situation” for pedestrians, cyclists and tram users crossing the roundabout daily.
Revisited version of the project
The minister said her cabinet would present a revised version of the project to Dilliès. According to her office, the updated proposal already takes into account feedback from local municipalities, traders and the consultation committee.
The controversy surrounds plans to make permanent some of the changes that were first introduced temporarily during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, the roundabout’s two traffic lanes were reduced to a single wider lane with turning lanes – a temporary arrangement implemented without a final planning permit.
The redevelopment project, which was expected to begin this month, would replace part of the asphalt with cycling infrastructure and additional pedestrian space.
However, Dilliès told Bruzz that the proposal could not proceed in its current form because it originated under the previous Brussels Government and had become politically controversial.
His cabinet said the requested suspension would allow the government to establish a broader strategy not only for the Louise roundabout, but also for Chaussée de Waterloo, Avenue de la Toison d’Or and the Avenue Louise tunnels.
