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Antwerp Ring vision approved as Oosterweel project reaches new milestone

by Timothy••0

Antwerp’s long-term plans for the southern section of the Ring (Ring Road) have been approved, marking a major milestone in the city’s ambitious Oosterweel project. The plans envisage a simpler road layout, more green spaces, new cycling and pedestrian connections and additional sections of the motorway being covered.

The future vision was presented on Saturday during the eighth edition of Ring Day at the Crowne Plaza hotel, where visitors could explore a large-scale model showing the Antwerp Ring after its planned redevelopment. The event also featured the definitive design for Ringpark Groene Vesten and plans for the future of Antwerp-Berchem Railway Station and its surroundings.

Alexander D’Hooghe, the intendant overseeing the project, said the approval of the southern Ring vision brought his team’s work to a significant point. He first met with his team at the same hotel in December 2015, with the ambition of covering as much of the Ring as possible. Ten years later, he said, the completion of the vision for the southern section brought a sense of relief and fulfilment.

The southern Ring presents particularly complex engineering challenges because of Berchem station, the numerous motorway entrances and exits and the railway infrastructure. The plans aim to make the road system simpler and more compact, reducing weaving movements and potential conflict points.

The Oosterweel connection is expected to help distribute traffic more evenly across the Antwerp Ring, creating opportunities to redesign its southern section and free up space for new motorway coverings, green areas and bridges for cyclists and pedestrians. These connections would help reconnect neighbourhoods currently separated by the Ring.

D’Hooghe described the Ring as the centre of Antwerp rather than the Grote Markt, pointing out that similar numbers of people live inside and outside it. The ambition is to transform parts of the motorway corridor into a shared green space for the city.

Three new Ring parks planned

The approved vision for the southern Ring builds on the wider Future Pact, agreed in 2017 by the Flemish Government, the City of Antwerp, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and residents’ organisations stRaten-generaal (Streets General), Ademloos (Breathless) and Ringland. The agreement aims to bring mobility improvements and better living conditions together, rather than planning major infrastructure investments separately.

The plans also establish a framework for the future development of Berchem railway station, one of Flanders’ major transport hubs. The ambition is to improve connections between trains, trams, buses, cycling routes and pedestrian routes, while creating a more attractive public space with additional greenery.

Ringpark Groene Vesten, stretching along the southern Ring between the E19 junction and Berchem station, is another part of the programme. Its definitive design includes a 2.25-kilometre green corridor running from Leeuwerikpark to Rodekruislaan, improved walking and cycling connections and noise barriers intended to reduce the impact of motorway noise on nearby residents.

Planning applications for the Groenenhoek, Bruggenpark, Polygoonpark and Leeuwerikpark sections are expected by the end of 2026. If the process proceeds as planned, work could start in late 2027. Pomppark Zuid, an initial project within Ringpark Groene Vesten, is already under construction and is scheduled to open in summer 2027.

The wider redevelopment remains a long-term undertaking. Construction on the northern section of the Ring is expected to continue for another seven years. With the southern vision now approved, the next step is to develop the proposals in greater detail and determine how they can be delivered in phases.

Scheldt Bridge remains a point of concern

The future of the Scheldt Bridge remains politically contentious, with some politicians questioning whether to commit €300 million to the project. D’Hooghe argued that the bridge is part of the Future Pact and should therefore continue to be developed. He also stressed that it is intended to connect Klein-Brabant (Little Brabant) with the Waasland region, rather than serving Antwerp alone.

He acknowledged the pressure on public finances but warned against stopping investment in long-term infrastructure. The project’s broader challenges also include maintaining political and administrative support, resolving remaining technical issues and developing a long-term public transport plan that goes beyond short-term fixes.

For D’Hooghe, delivering the vision will be just as important as agreeing on it. He said a coherent plan for tram, train and bus connections was essential, and that the proposed improvements would need to be implemented.

Public consultation remains important

Ring Day gave visitors the opportunity to learn about the Oosterweel connection, the Scheldt Bridge and the planned Ring parks through displays, information sessions and conversations with project leaders, the intendant’s team and residents’ organisations. Visitors could also tour the Pomppark Zuid construction site or view the southern Ring from the hotel’s 16th floor.

D’Hooghe, whose contract has been temporarily extended while a new public procurement procedure is prepared, expects to remain in the role until April or May 2027. He said he intended to submit a proposal in the new procedure, while accepting that the position would be subject to an open tender.

Although he lives in Brussels and also works on projects in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, New York, and the Middle East, D’Hooghe said he had developed a strong connection with Antwerp. His father is from Linkeroever, and he spends two days a week in the city, which he described as a place where he had lost his heart.

He also emphasised the value of speaking directly with residents to understand their expectations, frustrations and hopes. He said he had encountered considerable enthusiasm and support, while welcoming criticism as an essential part of improving the plans.

After Ring Day, the large-scale model and information displays will move to the De Grote Verbinding information centre. The centre is open every Wednesday and on the first Sunday of each month, except public holidays, from 10:00 to 16:00.

On the look of Antwerp

🇧🇪 Blogger, keen vexillologist, train conductor NMBS/SNCB, traveller, F1 follower, friend of Dorothy.

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