E19 Machelen Works: Major Delays Expected Until September
Major road works began Monday at the Knooppunt Machelen junction, one of Belgium’s busiest traffic interchanges, with significant delays expected for commuters travelling from Antwerp to Brussels for the next seven weeks. The Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer (AWV) is carrying out a complete renewal of the bridge deck and road surface in the connecting loop of the E19 from Antwerp to the Brussels inner ring road (R0), with works scheduled to run until Saturday, 26 September.
The affected connection serves traffic heading towards Brussels Airport in Zaventem, as well as drivers bound for Namen, Luik and Waterloo. According to VRT NWS, the road surface of the bridge over which the E19 runs is deformed in many places, prompting the extensive renovation.
What the Works Involve
The bridge deck is being stripped down to the waterproofing layer, followed by local concrete repairs, before being rebuilt with new waterproofing, foundation, asphalt layers and road markings. The bridge joints are also receiving a thorough maintenance treatment.
“The road surface of the bridge over which the E19 runs is deformed in many places,” the AWV stated. “The bridge deck is being stripped down to the waterproofing layer. After local concrete repairs, the road surface is being rebuilt with waterproofing, foundation, new layers of asphalt and markings. The bridge joints are also getting a thorough maintenance treatment.”
The contractor will work in two phases, ensuring one lane always remains open on the bridge. Traffic from Antwerp on the left lane will be diverted via a temporary lane along the railway line Schaarbeek-Mechelen, through the Woluwelaan (R22) to reach the inner ring road.
Initial Impact Limited
Despite the warnings, the Vlaams Verkeerscentrum reported that during the early morning rush hour on Monday there was no extra congestion beyond the normal morning peak. Ring TV reported approximately ten minutes of delay during the morning rush hour, noting that the summer holiday period means traffic is lighter than during a normal working week.
However, authorities warn that the situation will deteriorate significantly. The Vlaams Verkeerscentrum cautioned that although passage is always guaranteed at the work zone, these works bring heavy traffic disruption, with potentially high loss of time, especially at peak moments.
Additional Works on E19 at Rumst
Compounding the situation, a separate set of works begins Monday evening on the E19 at Rumst, between Antwerp and Brussels. The third and final phase of structural maintenance works will run from Monday evening (20:00) until Friday evening, 21 August (22:00).
Over a 2.5-kilometre zone, the top and bottom asphalt layers are being renewed, and the AWV is also carrying out works to improve water drainage to prevent aquaplaning. Traffic in both directions will run over two narrowed lanes on one side of the motorway, with a speed limit of 70 km/h enforced by mobile and fixed speed cameras.
The exit at Rumst and the entry towards Brussels/Mechelen are closed for traffic in the Brussels direction. Due to a damaged bridge over the Dijle river, some diversion routes have been adjusted.
Woluwelaan Under Pressure
Additional traffic is expected on the Woluwelaan (R22), with potential queues at traffic lights, especially near the railway viaduct. The Redactie24 noted that a portion of the traffic diverted via the temporary lane will need to make a turning movement to rejoin the Brussels inner ring, potentially causing extra queues at traffic lights.
September Expected to Bring Worst Disruption
Authorities anticipate the largest disruption will come in September, when normal commuter traffic returns in full force after the summer holidays. The Flows transport news platform reported that road transport should expect heavy disruption on the E19 towards Brussels from Monday 10 August, with works lasting until 26 September.
The summer period was deliberately chosen for these works because there is less commuter traffic and less economic traffic during this time. The works were also coordinated with the municipality of Rumst to avoid overlapping with the closure of Kapelstraat from 24 August and the Tomorrowland dismantling period in Boom-Rumst.
Advice for Commuters
Drivers are advised to plan their journeys carefully, follow traffic information, and avoid the E19 towards Brussels where possible during the works. Those heading to Brussels Airport, Namen, Luik or Waterloo should allow extra travel time, particularly during morning and evening rush hours, and consider alternative routes via the A12 or other parallel roads.
With both sets of works running concurrently through August and the Machelen works continuing well into September, the E19 corridor between Antwerp and Brussels will remain a challenging route for commuters for the coming weeks. Authorities urge patience and advance planning as the essential maintenance work aims to improve safety and comfort on one of Belgium’s most critical transport arteries.