RING

“Above the Ring“ – a cover for the ring road, north segment

The Ring in Antwerp has one of the highest traffic volumes in Europe. For decades, the city of Antwerp has been trying to find solutions that are more compatible with the urban environment. Since the beginning of the millennium, an interest group has been driving the project forward. The ring road is initially to be developed together with urban projects in the west of the Scheldt and partially routed underground.

Following an international application process, six interdisciplinary teams were selected in 2017 to develop solutions for six segments of the Ring as part of the masterplan. The project is under the management of a “director” and will be carried out in close cooperation with the city’s engineers and citizens.

The main objective for the north segment is to link the tunnel with the sections already planned under the Scheldt and the port, and to bring it to a reasonable level under the existing ring road. In addition, building developments, open spaces and new traffic routes are to link the neighbourhoods, the quality of life is to be decisively enhanced and future development opportunities are to be highlighted.

The cover will be implemented in phases in accordance with available financing and technical means. In addition to the complex technical demands of loads, route alignments and access and exit lanes arising within the urban context, it is particularly the integration of the ventilation buildings and the connection with the existing infrastructure, which has grown over centuries, that need to be mastered. What used to be the back of the city is turning into its greatest opportunity, a vision for the future: offering not only extensive opportunities for leisure and recreation, environmental renewal, climatic improvement and much more, but above all new development opportunities for previously disadvantaged neighbourhoods. At the same time, new challenges need to be faced of how this transformation can be implemented in a socially acceptable way that leads to sensible urban development.

In June 2018 three pilot projects have been selected, all or part of which will be planned and implemented in the first phase.

>>https://www.antwerpenmorgen.be/projecten/overkapping-ring/over