More bike lanes, more greenery: Plans unveiled to redesign Boulevard Lambermont

The busy Boulevard Lambermont in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek will be getting a makeover, with works to begin in the area in 2024.

The project aims to improve road safety and beautify the area. A redesign will consolidate the temporary cycle paths, reduce the number of vehicle lanes to two but add a service road with a pavement and parking spaces, and create a green verge separating the side road from the main road.

Cyclists will also get separate two-way cycling routes that connect to various regional routes. Depending on the section of road, there will be either a separated bike path or a bicycle street - rue cyclable - where bikes have priority and motor vehicles are not allowed to overtake them.

There will also be 118 bicycle parking spaces and 16 drop zones for shared vehicles, one every 200 metres.

“In 2020, we built temporary cycle lanes and the counts show the substantial increase in cyclists on that new cycling infrastructure, including on Boulevard Lambermont and [the adjoining] Boulevard Général Wahis,” explained Brussels mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Green).

“We are now making these cycle lanes permanent with this intervention. These wide avenues will also become safer and more comfortable for pedestrians.”

Pedestrians will also enjoy a completely revamped pavement that is clearly demarcated from the service road. With traffic islands and the widening of the pavements, they will be able to cross more safely.

The area will also be made accessible for people with lower mobility and road safety will be improved at two accident-prone zones: the intersection of Boulevard Lambermont with Rue Max Roos and that with Avenue Eugène Demolder and Avenue Sleeckx.

The neighbourhood is already served by numerous tram and bus lines, and a number of changes are planned to increase comfort and improve traffic flow.

These include a new stop on Boulevard Lambermont near house number 314, which will replace the existing Louis Bertrand and Latinis stops and will better accommodate articulated buses more accessible to people with reduced mobility.

To discourage through traffic in the neighbourhoods, right turns from the main road will be restricted. Local traffic will be able to reach destinations via the bicycle street.

Separately, the Place de la Reine in Schaerbeek near Brussels-North station will also be redesigned.

The public space will be beautified with the creation of a rain garden and meeting space along with improved public lighting. A total of 400 m² of greenery will be planted.

“Place de la Reine is centrally located in Schaarbeek, but is underused,” Van den Brandt said. “We want to make this a safe and accessible meeting place, for all users, and certainly for families from the neighbourhood.”

Both projects will be managed and financed by Beliris.