(c) Séverin Malaud

BICYCLE PATH

A BICYCLE PATH ALONG THE L28

Here’s a great project for cyclists: a new cycle path along the L28 line! A 6.5 km fast cyclehighway through the dense urban fabric of Brussels, Jette, Koekelberg, Molenbeek and Anderlecht.  Following the route of the western railway line L28, this track will go from Rue Masui in the North district to the Jacques Brel metro station in Anderlecht.  A segment has already been implemented at Tour&Taxis by Beliris and various sections have already been studied.

This assignment concerns the design of this cyclehighway and its execution along its entire length, including the canal crossing at the level of the Palais de Laeken.  Despite the great diversity of the types of infrastructure, the ambition is to develop a coherent and global vision and identity of the route and to entrust the client with the execution of the whole.  In this way, the emphasis is placed on comfort, identification, safety and readability of the route.

There are two types of users on the route: pedestrians and cyclists.  The design must therefore aim at a healthy coexistence of both users, without losing sight of the fact that this is primarily a cycling route.  The route can also only function properly if the connections to the various neighborhoods and activity centers
are clear and comfortable.

It must also be well integrated in terms of the landscape, with an emphasis on the green character.  The ecological balance (soil pollution, water management, green network, etc.) in the vicinity of the railway also deserves special attention.

Because of the great diversity of infrastructure (from cycle street to cycle bridges), certain parts of the route can be completed more quickly.  Indeed, the ambition is to prepare those segments as soon as possible and to start using the cycle route between the starting point and the arrival point via alternative routes.

For this mission, Beliris is looking for a team that can move easily between infrastructure and landscape.  The team must be able to work in a context of a dense urban complex with a limited budget.  We are looking for a team of landscape designers, architects and stability engineers, supported by expertise in ecology, traffic engineering and accessibility.