Cost of Oosterweel project rises to 10 billion euros

Mobility Newsletter October 2024

What's new in mobility land? At the start of each month, we share the latest news related to all things mobility in our mobility newsletter.

In the news 📰

Lantis has announced that the Oosterweel project in Antwerp, the completion of the Antwerp Ring Road, will cost over 3 billion euros more, than originally estimated. This is due to inflation, PFAS land processing and high energy prices. Underestimating the cost of major infrastructure works is a well-known fact. This is called the Flyvbjerg's iron law. The project will now cost around 10 billion euros. Source

Mobility facts 🧮

The number of seriously injured cyclists and steppers is rising over the years. This is because the forgivingness of bike lanes is not yet up to scratch. On the other hand, there are also more and more cyclists and steppers on our roads. In 2022, one in two seriously injured people was a cyclist. This is while the number of seriously injured car occupants fell from 27 per cent in 2016 to 16 per cent in 2022. Source

After the change from summer to winter time, the number of accidents involving pedestrians in the evening rush hour increases by 35 per cent. Motorists have reduced visibility which can lead to late reactions. Wearing reflective clothing or using a light is therefore important for not only cyclists, but also pedestrians. Source

Did you know ❓

From 1 January, foreign drivers will have to pay a deposit of 1,250 euros when caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This way, the government can collect the fine in case of conviction, and these drivers will not escape the fine. Source

The new Flemish government wants to implement a digital road vignette for Flemish highways. The road vignette should ensure that foreign drivers pay to use the highways. Belgians should not expect additional charges. Wallonia eventually wants to introduce this too. Source

8 out of 10 municipalities have bicycle streets, and in total there are 20 times more bicycle streets today compared to 6 years ago. The cities of Leuven and Mechelen have the most bicycle streets. Source

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