Avenue de Tervuren cycle path to be refurbished

The cycle path along Avenue de Tervuren in Brussels will be refurbished this summer, reports Bruzz. The path is being renovated between Chemin des Chênes in Auderghem and the Quatre-Bras tram stop in Tervuren.

The designated cycle path that runs right through the Sonian Forest urgently needs to be upgraded, according to Flemish mobility minister Lydia Peeters (Open VLD). The old concrete slabs are damaged, making the cycle path uneven and dangerous in places. The path is also too narrow if it is to cope with increased usage, which is the intention. The minister mainly wants to improve the safety and comfort of the path and hopes to encourage people to travel by bike more often.

The renovation works start on Chemin des Chênes, on the border between Auderghem and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, and will end end at Quatre Bras in Tervuren. The work will be undertaken by De Werkvennootschap, the Flemish public service and government agency responsible for large-scale mobility projects.

"I asked the Werkvennootschap to renew the cycle path over a distance of 1.5 kilometres,” Peeters said. “With a water-permeable pavement, we ensure the necessary cycling comfort with respect for nature."

Most of the cycle path is located on Flemish territory, which is why Peeters is taking the lead. The Avenue de Tervuren itself is located on the regional border.

"This is a big boost for commuting by bike,” said Alexandre Pirson, alderman responsible for mobility in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, a municipality which contains much of Avenue de Tervuren. “People will now be able to move around in a safe way in the idyllic setting of the Sonian Forest. We hope that this inspires many people not to get in their car in the morning."

Traffic to be disrupted during renovation 

As part of the refurbishment, one of the two car lanes of the Avenue de Tervuren will be reserved for cyclists. Cars driving from Brussels in the direction of Tervuren will temporarily have to cross one lane. In order to limit possible traffic disruption, the roadworks will take place during the summer holidays.

Avenue de Tervuren is a large carriageway of four lanes separated by a central reservation. The original plan of the Flemish Region was to transform two lanes of the Avenue into a two-way cycle path. This would mean that motorists in both directions would have just one lane left, instead of two. The municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, among others, opposed this.

"We are proud of our opposition to the Region,” said Pirson. “There was already a cycle path along the Avenue de Tervuren, so it was not necessary to build a new one."