Works on Avenue des Croix du Feu, an extension of the A12 in the Brussels district of Neder-over-Heembeek, are nearly complete. The Brussels-Capital Region Government expects the urban boulevard to open this summer.
The project followed an ambition by the Brussels Region to make public spaces safer and more liveable for residents of Laeken and Neder-over-Heembeek.
The renovated boulevard spans 2,510 metres and forms an important cycling connection between Avenue de Madrid and the canal. A 42-metre footbridge over the A12, built from 125 tonnes of steel, serves as a central feature of the project.
The project prioritised greening and water management. Workers planned 147 trees, with some scheduled for planting this autumn. Additionally, teams de-paved nearly 16,000 square metres of subsoil and added more than 15,000 square metres of 'wadis'– shallow, planted ditches that collect rainwater and allow it to soak into the soil.
Designers also focused on recreation. The boulevard now features 11 fitness machines, three petanque courts, and two ping-pong tables. A former terminus for Brussels public transport operator STIB-MIVB buses became a skating rink, according to the cabinet of Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Groen).
The changes also improved the quality of life for residents, the Minister's cabinet stressed. By shifting traffic from Avenue des Croix du Feu towards Avenue Van Praet, ambient noise in homes decreased by nearly 10 decibels.
Travel times remained virtually the same for commuters. While the speed limit dropped from 70 to 50 km/h towards the city centre, traffic heading out of the city saved about 45 seconds because several intersections with traffic lights disappeared.
Van den Brandt stated the renovation represented a fundamental change for the neighbourhood.
"This stretch towards the A12 was for a long time a grey, dull, and unsafe road," Van den Brandt said. "We transformed it into a wide urban boulevard: a place that serves first for living and playing, and only then for driving through. We are giving a large part of Brussels back to the residents."
