Workers installed the new concrete beams of the Sainctelette Bridge in Brussels on Saturday morning, marking a major step in the redevelopment of the future Sainctelette square.
The beams, each 47 metres long and weighing nearly 100 tonnes, were delivered by boat from the Antwerp region at about 7:00.
They were then lifted into place with heavy lifting equipment, with the installation taking place at around 9:00.
The work is part of a wider Brussels Mobility project to widen the bridges around Sainctelette square.
The aim is to create a fully fledged public space above the canal, with more room for pedestrians and cyclists, as part of a broader plan to open up the entire Brussels canal area.
Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt said the redesigned site is intended to tackle a major traffic bottleneck while also creating a more human-scale space for pedestrians, cyclists and trams.
The works are causing traffic disruption this weekend.
From Thursday 13 August to Sunday 16 August, traffic on Sainctelette Square towards Rogier is restricted to a single lane.
In the opposite direction, vehicles are being diverted via Willebroek Quay, the Scheepswerf Bridge and Havenlaan. The link between Ninth Line Avenue and Sainctelette Square is also temporarily closed.
Shipping on the canal has also been suspended during the lifting works.
Traffic in both directions is due to resume from 16 August.
The redevelopment of the public space around Sainctelette is set to continue until the end of 2027.
