The project to build a tram link between Brussels North station and the Tour & Taxis site has now been awarded to a construction firm, bringing it one step closer to completion.
The Tour & Taxis district in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean is home to an industrial zone, offices, a park and a blossoming residential area but the connection to the city centre is underdeveloped, though plans have been in the works for years. The site's fast expansion calls for an upgrade in public transport capacity and frequency.
On Tuesday, Brussels Mobility awarded the project to do this to the Arcadis design office, with the architectural firm LA/BA, the urban planners CityTools and the landscape architects Taktyk.
"The new tram line will provide a better link between the Tour&Taxis district and the Gare du Nord," said Elke Van den Brandt, Brussels Minister for Mobility. "This link will be multimodal... combined with comfortable and safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists."
Commuters will be only two stops away from Tour & Taxis when departing from Gare du Nord. The tram will cross the canal via the recently built Suzan Daniel bridge.
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In the proposed route, the tram will run via Boulevard Belgica, Rue Vanderstichelen, Rue Picard, the new Picard bridge, Boulevard Simon Bolivar and Brussels North Station. It will eventually be extended to Brussels Central Station via Place Rogier and will link to the existing network by connecting to the metro and tram lines at Belgica.
The construction consortium will also redevelop the public space around Belgica and Boulevard Simon Bolivar. Another consortium will redevelop the public space around Rue Picard, in front of Gare Maritime, and Rue Vanderstichelen, where the tram will pass on its way to Boulevard Belgica.
The Gare Maritime is home to a food court and regularly hosts large-scale cultural events. Credit: Tour&Taxis
Priority will be given to the safety of vulnerable users (pedestrians and cyclists) by adapting the infrastructure dedicated to car traffic. These works aim to "significantly enhance the quality of life and greening of the area," Arcadis stated in a press release. The project is part of the Good Move mobility plan for Brussels.
"The Tour & Taxis project is booming. More and more businesses and public bodies are moving there," said Lieve Neirynck, Director of Infrastructure and Mobility at Arcadis. "The redeveloped residential area is also gaining popularity. A smooth tram link with Brussels-North, together with the improved sustainability and attractiveness of the area, will further boost the future success of the urban district."
