Auderghem up in arms over works on Léonard crossroads

Brussels mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt has called a meeting with her Flemish colleague Lydia Peeters for urgent action to avoid transport misery at the Léonard crossroads, where the Brussels ring meets the E411 on the border between Auderghem and Tervuren.

The row revolves around the decision to shut, from 16 April to the end of October, the E411 exit on the Léonard crossroads from Auderghem to Waterloo, because of ongoing works at this junction. The move to shut the tunnel was proposed due to unforeseen problems needing further work when renovating the tunnel.

Van den Brandt’s announcement followed Auderghem’s demand to suspend these works immediately, or risk traffic chaos.

The commune wants to use this pause to consider alternatives given the impact of the Léonard tunnel works – not only on Auderghem but on surrounding communes and commuters, notably drivers from Brussels to Waterloo. The meeting was also attended by representatives from Watermael-Boitsfort commune.

Auderghem mayor Sophie De Vos said her commune was already “suffocating” with traffic jams. These problems would only escalate given that recent data show the crossroads sees 100,000 drivers every day.

She added that there had been no prior consultation on this part of the works. It was only on 5 April that she and Auderghem mobility minister Matthieu Pillois were told about the plan to shut the exit.

The two condemned the fact that “no mobility plan or accompanying measures have been provided by the Flemish authorities for this work”.

“We are heading for a Dantesque gridlock situation and an unbearable nuisance for the neighbouring districts,” they said.

Other results of the works would include a reduced train service on the Namur-Brussels line and access problems for Brussels’ fire and ambulance service SIAMU. Indeed, SIAMU said it would no longer be able to intervene in case of accidents.

The Auderghem works would also delay more urgent projects on the nearby Delta and Beaulieu bridges and on Delta tunnel.

Van den Brandt said it was unfortunate that Flanders was going it alone, despite the fact that “the works are having a huge impact on local residents and on the organisation of other construction sites in Brussels”.

“The Brussels region was not sufficiently involved in the organisation” of the works, she said, and Flanders’ communication was “late and inadequate”.

Flemish minister Peeters said she would ask her administration to send more information to the Brussels region and to the local authorities affected.

But she said it would be “out of the question” to suspend the works that started a year ago, in April 2023, “to guarantee the safety and life of the Leonard tunnel”, which represented an investment of €28 million.