Covering Antwerp Ring Road: paving the way for a greener, safer and connected city of Antwerp

Arup's team of experts developed and evaluated three distinct design variants for covering the Southeastern section of Antwerp’s ring road. These variants were created through iterative collaboration with landscape architects, government agencies such as the Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer (AWV), and local stakeholders. Our design addressed tunnel safety, highway engineering, and urban planning, focusing on sustainable, future-forward mobility solutions.

Our approach promotes a significant shift in urban mobility, aiming to reduce car dependency and foster sustainable transport options, such as cycling and public tranport. By enhancing traffic safety and improving the urban environment, we contribute to the objectives of the City of Antwerp to become cleaner, safer, and a more connected, benefiting both local residents and commuters. 

Collaborative design process 

Our team focused on the Southeastern section, collaborating with key stakeholders to develop three design variants.   

1. Separated, differentiates between through traffic and local traffic
2. Hybrid, separates through and local traffic at key locations 
3. Mixed, this variant mixes through and local traffic across adjacent tunnel sections. 

These balance the needs of through traffic and local communities and incorporate advanced tunnel safety, efficient traffic management, and landscape integration to address the growing challenges of urban mobility.

Throughout the project, Arup facilitated regular workshops with government agencies, city officials, and local citizens to ensure that all perspectives were represented in the design process. Our iterative development approach helped refine each variant, presenting clear recommendations for future steps.  

The project goes beyond traffic design—it reimagines Antwerp as a greener, safer, and more connected city, promoting sustainable transport modes.