What is it about?
Following the construction of the new Brucity Administrative Centre, it was necessary to review the development of the surrounding area in order to create a homogeneous ensemble and to better link the various neighbourhoods together. This project therefore involves redeveloping Rue des Halles, Rue de la Vierge Noire, Rue des Poissonniers, Rue des Augustins and parts of the Rue du Marché aux Poulets, Rue de Laeken, Rue de l'Évêque and Place Sainte-Catherine.
The project includes:
- Removing parking spaces and adapting traffic flow based on the STOP (Good Move) principle. This principle prioritises the organisation of means of transport and public space, focusing first on safety and access for pedestrians, followed by for cyclists, public transport and finally cars.
- The installation of 140 bicycle racks
- Widening existing pavements
- The creation of rest areas equipped with appropriate furniture
- The planting of 43 new tall trees to combat urban heat islands
- Planting beds with plants that have been carefully selected for their resilience, which will help to infiltrate rain water and relieve the existing sewer system during heavy rainfall. Please note that rain water from the road will not be collected in the planting areas due to the pollution caused by motorised traffic and if applicable road salt, to avoid damaging the plants. The choice of plants in green areas will also take into account their water consumption and resistance to drought.
Plan and works
Rue des Halles
The Rue des Halles will become a pedestrian zone redeveloped at ground level. A retractable bollard will be placed at the entrance to the street. Access will be reserved exclusively for residents of the Grétry building (which has a private garage for 65 vehicles), local residents, emergency services and deliveries.
The road surface will be identical to that of the boulevards in the centre. Six 'green zones' are planned and six trees will be planted. Various benches will be integrated around the green zones, 40 bicycle racks will be placed between the green zones and six artistic light strips will be installed on the side of the Brucity building.
Rue du Marché aux Poulets
Part of this street was resurfaced as part of the redevelopment of the boulevards in the centre. In order to create a uniform visual ensemble in both parts of the street, it will be redesigned identically. A retractable bollard will be placed at the end of the street to block traffic. Four trees will be planted with grills.
Rue des Poissonniers
Rue des Poissonniers will be turned into a cycle lane. The wide pavements will be paved and planted with trees and green areas. Opposite-direction bus/taxi/bike traffic will continue to flow northwards.
A bus stop will be installed in each direction. Stops will be fitted with wheelchair-accessible kerbs. Access will be provided by ramps (5%) for people with reduced mobility.
Rue de la Vierge Noire
Rue de la Vierge Noire will have the same profile as Rue des Poissonniers and will become a cycle lane. Opposite-direction bus, taxi, bike traffic will continue to flow northwards. The street will be greened with trees.
To highlight the public crossing to the Brucity building, a small square will be created at the intersection of Rue Joseph Plateau and Rue Melsens. The 'Centenary of Cinema' monument will be replaced by a striking tall tree, surrounded by a bench and green areas.
Rue de Laeken
The section of Rue de Laeken between Rue des Augustins and Rue de l'Évêque will also be converted into a cycle lane. Opposite-direction bus, taxi, bike traffic will continue to flow northwards.
A small square will be created behind the Multi tower. Benches and a picnic bench will be set out in the green spaces. There are plans to plant three trees.
Rue de l'Evêque
The part of Rue de l'Évêque between Rue de Laeken and Boulevard Anspach will be resurfaced with materials identical to those used for the boulevards in the centre. The width of the roadway will be reduced to 6 m and the width of the pavements may therefore be increased to about 8.50 m. A row of five tall trees will be planted alongside the Multi tower.
A bus stop with a bus shelter will be built between Rue des Halles and Boulevard Anspach. The stop will also be equipped with a wheelchair-accessible kerb.
The entrances to the car park and the Brucity delivery zone will be located in Rue de l'Évêque.
Rue des Augustins
In order to create an uninterrupted visual ensemble, the profile and paving materials will be identical to those used in the section of Rue du Fossé aux Loups recently resurfaced as part of the redevelopment of the boulevards in the centre.
Towards Rue de Laeken, the roadway will be reduced to 5.50 m. The bus stop will be equipped with a wheelchair-accessible kerb. A side lane is maintained to allow traffic to flow when buses are at a standstill.
A second lane, 2.50 m wide, will be created to allow vehicles coming from Rue de Laeken to access the Multi tower car park. The current access ramp to the Interparking car park will be filled in during the building renovation works.
A green area will be created, in which three trees will be planted. There will also be two isolated trees which will be fitted with grills. A delivery zone will be set up on the side of the Multi tower and ten bicycle racks will be installed.
Place Sainte-Catherine
As part of the study on mobility in the Pentagon (Good Move), it is proposed to make Place Sainte-Catherine a one-way street in the direction of Rue de Laeken, between Place du Samedi and Rue de Laeken. This one-way traffic makes it mandatory to turn left into Rue de Laeken. The introduction of these two complementary measures meets the objectives of Good Move, as it makes it possible to eliminate west-east transit routes between the Quais neighbourhood and the upper part of the city, thanks in particular to the obligation to turn left in Rue de Laeken.
Local access is preserved. The public car park (Interparking) in Rue des Augustins will therefore remain accessible from the Quais neighbourhood, thanks to the option to turn left when leaving Place Sainte-Catherine and the introduction of two-way traffic in part of Rue des Augustins. Local traffic in the Quais neighbourhood, including deliveries, will also have an additional option to leave the Pentagon directly via Rue de Laeken.
The pavements, which are about 10.30 m wide, will be resurfaced with the same sandstone paving stones as the existing ones.
Three tall trees will be planted on the pavement at the even-numbered houses.
What purpose?
This project meets the following ambitions and objectives:
- Providing a network of calming public spaces, directing all types of parking to off-street car parks, in order to meet the needs of residents and visitors in terms of green spaces, tranquillity and high quality
- Rebalancing and diversifying the uses of public spaces
- Developing the green network as a support to active mobility methods and biodiversity
- Incorporating inclusiveness criteria into public spaces from the design stage
- Improving the safety and quality of public spaces for the purposes of living and environmental resilience
- Developing a strategy to reduce soil sealing in the city of Brussels and make its public spaces greener
- Ensuring accessibility to all transport methods for people with reduced mobility
- Speeding up the development of a cycle network and providing appropriate bike parking facilities
- Prioritising and redeveloping roads, taking into account the specialisation of roads and the Ville 30 speed restriction
- Creating peaceful neighbourhoods based on the STOP (Good Move) principle
Works
The entire project will last 1.5 years. These works are divided into several phases.
