€8 million bridge over motorway is too narrow to be safely used

A bridge recently inaugurated over the E40 motorway near Drongen, near Ghent, has been deemed "too narrow to safely use", with lorries and even some cars unable to pass one another.

The bridge cost almost €8 million to build, RTBF reports, and was designed to improve traffic flow. Instead, it is causing delays.

On the bend leading to the bridge, lorries and cars have to slow down or even stop completely. Some drivers say they have had to reverse to let a lorry pass.

The reason for this is that “the space required for renovation was particularly limited, and a cycle path was added at the end of the project,” according to the Flemish roads and traffic agency.

Despite the narrowness, no accidents have occurred so far because the turn is too sharp for drivers to take quickly.

“It's a bend that people take at 10 km/h at most,” the traffic agency said.

Traffic signs have been placed on and around the bridge to regulate the passage of traffic in turn and the roads agency is currently analysing this alternative measure.

If it proves insufficient, other measures may have to be taken.