Works on Brussels Metro 3 have been beset by blocks since construction started five years ago. Although partially opened in 2022, the current line will extend much further and should have additional stops along the way, providing budget constraints, appeals from residents, and treacherous subsoil don't scupper plans.
Progress recently has been slow, even grinding to a halt on occasions as the building consortium leading the project revises its estimations and ministers consult balance books. Meanwhile, the situation at street level is chaotic, leading some to question the overall feasibility of the endeavour.
This hasn't stopped city architects from mocking up illustrations of how things might look, once the rubble has been cleared and façades dusted down. Tree-lined boulevards would make the area surrounding stations suitable for walking with pedestrians unhindered by the fences that currently make crossing the Avenue de Stalingrad a veritable hike.
The integrated bicycle facilities would also provide an alternative to locking your bike crude to signage diverting traffic around the construction zone. In time, local businesses might open in historic buildings for now clad in scaffolding. And one day – though it's not yet possible to pin a date on it – passengers will be able to travel from the north of Brussels to the south in just 20 minutes. Probably.
Are you excited about Metro 3? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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