Brussels Begins Renovation of Iconic Louise Roundabout
The long-awaited renovation of the Louise Roundabout, one of Brussels’ busiest and most iconic intersections, begins tonight as work gets underway on the night of May 25-26. The €400,000 project aims to improve safety and traffic flow at a junction that Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt has described as “one of the most dangerous intersections” in the Brussels Region, according to RTBF.
Background and Political Tensions
The renovation comes after weeks of intense political wrangling within the newly formed Brussels government coalition. The dispute pitted Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), who pushed to make permanent a single-lane configuration introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, against Minister-President Boris Dilliès (MR), who initially called for the project to be paused pending a broader strategy for the Louise district.
As The Brussels Times reported on May 8, the disagreement exposed deep divisions between the coalition partners. Van den Brandt insisted that “returning to an unsafe situation is not an option,” while Dilliès demanded a “global and coordinated vision” for the wider area. The MR party went so far as to send Alain Courtois, President of the Brussels City Council, to pressure Van den Brandt, with Courtois arguing the plan would “kill commerce.”
The Compromise
On May 22, the Brussels government announced a political agreement, as reported by DH Net and La Libre. The compromise maintains a single traffic lane at the roundabout’s center to ensure pedestrian safety during crossings — a key win for Van den Brandt’s safety agenda. However, at the exits, a second pre-selection lane will be added to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, addressing MR’s concerns.
Additional measures include:
- The direction of Rue du Grand Cerf has already been changed, allowing drivers to access the Louise tunnels and city center directly, bypassing the roundabout.
- The exit from the Boulevard de Waterloo parking will be moved to the René Cliquet roundabout, enabling drivers to reach the small ring road or Rue Belliard without passing through Louise.
- Traversable zones for emergency vehicles have been incorporated, in collaboration with SIAMU (Brussels fire brigade).
Construction Schedule
Work will take place primarily at night to minimize disruption to traffic and commercial activity, continuing throughout the summer. The €400,000 budget is relatively modest, but the project is coordinated with the larger Boulevard de Waterloo redevelopment led by Beliris (the federal fund for Brussels), which carries a budget of €16 million. The developments will also complement the cycling network around the Petite Ceinture (small ring road).
Broader Context: Concrete Block Removal
The roundabout renovation coincides with the launch of the “Brussels is beautiful — let’s show it” campaign, aimed at removing approximately 3,000 concrete Jersey barriers installed across the capital since 2016. As The Brussels Times reported, on May 21, Dilliès, Van den Brandt, and Secretary of State for Urban Planning Audrey Henry (MR) symbolically removed the first blocks on Avenue de la Toison d’Or.
“We are at the beginning of a process that stems from a commitment to make Brussels more beautiful, and that obviously includes removing these horrible concrete blocks whenever possible,” Dilliès said. Van den Brandt acknowledged that while the blocks had improved road safety, “it is ugly,” adding that the government agreed to replace them with bollards.
Analysis and Outlook
The resolution of the Louise roundabout dispute — coinciding with the government’s 100th day in office — represents a significant early test for the six-party Brussels coalition, which includes parties with fundamentally different visions on mobility. The compromise demonstrates both the fragility of the coalition and its capacity to find common ground.
Looking ahead, several questions remain. The Boulevard de Waterloo redevelopment permit is still under appeal by Interparking, which could delay the broader transformation of the district into what planners have called “Brussels’ Champs-Élysées.” The phased removal of concrete blocks across the Region will also require sustained coordination. For now, however, the works at the Louise Roundabout mark a tangible step forward — and a symbol of what political compromise can achieve in one of Europe’s most complex governing coalitions.