Sweco Belgium
Longest Bicycle Bridge Completed: Safely to and from Brussels
On the border of the Flemish and Brussels Regions, near NATO’s headquarters, an impressive bicycle and pedestrian bridge now spans Leopold III Avenue. With a length of 710 meters, including approach ramps – equivalent to 15 steel spans (514 meters in total) – it is the longest bicycle bridge in Flanders. Sweco was responsible for the technical design on behalf of De Werkvennootschap, with architecture by ZJA.
On October 4th, local residents and employees gathered for a festive opening featuring a pleasant breakfast and a fun surprise. Everyone looked forward to the bridge’s opening, which significantly reduces travel time between Machelen and Zaventem. Delegates from the ‘Fietsersbond’, local businesses, and Voka were also in good spirits.
Boost for Modal Shift in the Region
Kris Claes, CEO of Voka Chamber of Commerce Flemish Brabant, praises the efforts in modal commuting: “We strongly support any initiative that promotes safe and smooth commuting connections for cyclists and pedestrians. This impressive bicycle bridge in the multimodal zone of Leopold III Avenue is a crucial link in the layered mobility infrastructure that facilitates sustainable choices between cars, bicycles, and public transport.”
Award-Winning Technical Design Thanks to BIM
The bridge features a parabolic shape and rests on architecturally designed V-shaped pillars, ensuring optimal integration into the surrounding area. The technical design presented a challenge: 710 meters long with a desire for a transparent aesthetic that fits into the limited space. Sweco’s experts employed a BIM model from the start to keep communication and knowledge exchange clear and effective among all parties. By streamlining these processes, we made the entire chain more efficient, sustainable, and with lower failure costs. Thanks to this clever design, the THV MoVeR0 won the BIM Infrastructure Award during the Belgian Construction Awards 2021.
Investment in Liveability, Traffic Safety, and Mobility
Without the bridge, cyclists had to cross Leopold III Avenue via Bourgetlaan and Raketstraat, resulting in a detour of nearly a kilometer with several potentially dangerous crossings. The new bridge directly connects Harenweg in Zaventem with Sint-Stevens-Woluwestraat in Machelen, offering significant improvements in travel distance and safety. Cyclists can now cross Raketstraat, Leopold III Avenue, and Bourgetlaan in one motion, avoiding intersections with cars, buses, and trams.
The bridge connects to the future F201 bicycle highway, linking the airport to downtown Brussels. Additionally, it serves as a missing link in the Ring cycling path between Haachtsesteenweg (N21) and R22 Woluwedal. This bicycle and pedestrian bridge is rightly an important link within the cycling network in and around Brussels.
Seamless Connection to Airport Tram
The yellow roadway features a special coating that reduces slip hazards in bad weather. The large steps on the side of the bridge also facilitate easy transfers to the future Airport Tram between Brussels Airport and Brussels North. This tram line will run from Brussels North train station, through Leopold III Avenue, to the airport. A stop will be located at the bicycle bridge, easily accessible from the bridge itself.
Thoughtful Features for Extra Comfort and Sustainability
The bicycle bridge eliminates the barrier of the A201 without posing a challenge for cyclists and pedestrians. Thanks to its length, the crossing has a gentle slope, ensuring a comfortable ride. Balustrades with wooden railings and built-in LED lighting guarantee safety. The steps are light, slim, and comfortable to climb. Rainwater is channeled away through open steel U-gutters in the edge of the bridge to swales below, where it infiltrates into the soil. This prevents soil erosion and utilizes the space under the bridge for greenery.
115 km of Cycling Infrastructure in the Flemish Periphery
The construction of the bicycle bridge is part of a clear ambition from the Flemish government. Within the ‘Werken aan de Ring’ program, coordinated by De Werkvennootschap, it aims to create over 115 km of new cycling infrastructure along the Brussels Ring, amounting to an investment of no less than 300 million euros.
The ability to cross the Ring and connecting busy access roads without conflict while cycling is a crucial aspect. Since May 2024, cyclists can also ride on a wide and protected bike lane from the new bridge at Hector Henneaulaan in Zaventem over the Ring.
Working Together
Sweco and Arcadis, within the THV MoVeR0, are collaborating with De Werkvennootschap on the redesign of the Ring around Brussels, between the Groot-Bijgaarden and Sint-Stevens-Woluwe junctions. The project team conducts traffic studies, technical and architectural designs (roads, structures, and other infrastructure), landscape integration, process guidance, and prepares permitting and tender documents, as well as supports stakeholder management and communication. The following parties are subcontracting: ZJA, Frank Van Hulle, Cluster, and Mint.
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