Local residents discover the design for the Vuntcomplex

During the information market about Leuven-North, local residents and interested stakeholders were given an insight into the new plans for the Vuntcomplex. Commissioned by the Agency for Roads and Traffic, Sweco is contributing to the renewal of this interchange, exit complex no. 20 of the E314, located near the Aarschotsesteenweg and Kesseldallaan. As design partner, we bring together mobility, road safety, landscape design, environmental assessment and water management in one integrated study assignment.

Compact and legible traffic interchange

The Vuntcomplex has a long history. While an initial proposal still envisaged a large roundabout, the new design opts for a more compact signal-controlled four-arm intersection. This will be complemented by a connecting road running parallel to the existing infrastructure and a new railway bridge. The result is a clearer interchange that takes up less space and better responds to the mobility needs of Leuven-North.

Throughout the process, regular consultation with the client was a key focus, enabling the design team to respond quickly. Important stakeholders, such as Infrabel and advisory bodies including the Flemish Environment Agency, the Province of Flemish Brabant and the Agency for Nature and Forests, were also involved at an early stage.

Green infrastructure with space for water and nature

Landscape integration is receiving considerable attention. The new infrastructure will be planted with as many trees as possible, making the traffic interchange greener and better integrated into its surroundings. Along Kesseldallaan, a widened winter bed will also provide additional buffering capacity for the Lemingbeek. This is important because the project zone is located where the Lemingbeek flows into the Vunt and is highly prone to flooding. In this way, the design links mobility with water management, climate adaptation and spatial quality.

As part of the design, Sweco examined in consultation with the Flemish Environment Agency and the Province of Flemish Brabant how the Vuntcomplex can comply with guidelines on rainwater management, including the regional urban planning regulation on rainwater, the provincial regulation on rainwater drainage and the technical water management regulations of the City of Leuven. The presence of beaver activity in the inner area makes the task even more complex: space for water storage capacity must be preserved or compensated within the landscape.

To this end, a hydraulic evaluation is being carried out using the surface water model of the Vunt-Lemingbeek-Abdijbeek. This model is used to calculate scenarios for compensatory measures in the Lemingbeek valley. The impact on simulated water levels, flow rates and flood contours upstream and downstream of the project zone helps arrive at a broadly supported design.