Traffic in Brussels city centre will be disrupted in connection with the celebration of National Day on Saturday, the Brussels Capital-Ixelles police precinct warned on Thursday. Participants in the festivities have been asked to take public transport, which will be increased for the occasion, rather than use their own vehicles.
The Place des Palais (Palace Square) will be closed to traffic from the evening of 20 July to the morning of 22 July. This includes public transport.
Around the Brussels Park, the following streets will be closed to vehicular traffic from 5.00 a.m. to the end of the festivities: Place Poelaert (Poelaert Square), including the Poelaert Exit of the Stephanie Tunnel, which will be closed at night; Rue des Quatres Bras; Rue de la Régence; Place du Grand Sablon; Rue Ernest Allard; Rue Joseph Dupont; Rue Coppens; Rue Bodenbroeck; Rue de Ruysbroeck; Place du Petit Sablon; Place Royale, Coudenberg; Mont des Arts; Rue Ravenstein, Rue Royale, between Loi and Place Royale; and Rue Ducale, between Loi and Trône.
From 7.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m., the following areas around Saint Michel and Gudula Cathedral will be closed for the Te Deum : Boulevard Pachéco, Boulevard de Berlaimont, Boulevard de l'Impératrice, Boulevard de l'Empereur, Rue de Loxum, Rue Cardinal Mercier and Rue Cantersteen.
Rue Royale will be closed off from 7.30 a.m., mainly because of the movement of the escorts, while the Saint Lazare Tunnel will be closed from 6.00 a.m.
The military parade is to be held from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m., starting at the Cinquantenaire. The Cinquantenaire Tunnel, Reyers Tunnel in the direction of the city centre, and Auderghem Avenue, between Chasse and Schuman, will be closed off from midday.
Movement on the following roads will also be prohibited from 12.30 p.m.: Cortenbergh Avenue, between Renaissance and Schuman; Rue Archimède; Schuman Roundabout; Rue de la Loi, including the Joyeuse Entrée access tunnel; and Rue Lambermont.
From 2.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m., the following roads will also be closed: Place du Trône - above ground (the tunnels will not be affected, except that the Belliard Exit will be closed); Avenue des Arts and Boulevard du Régent, between Loi and Trône (closed above ground only); Rue du Luxembourg, Rue Montoyer and Rue Belliard, including the Belliard Exit of the Trône Tunnel and the Grand Tunnel Belliard in the direction of E40/Tervuren).
Rue de la Loi between Arts-loi and Rue Royale will remain closed until the end of the fireworks display, which is scheduled for 11.00 p.m. The police precinct is advising visitors to go to the Brussels Park by train or subway. Park-and-ride facilities are, however, available in Kraainem (subway), Heysel, Delta and Roodebeek.
The Brussels Times
