With the conversion of the R4 West and East to primary roads, the Flemish government is investing in a smoother and safer R4. Three objectives are crucial: smoother and safer car and bicycle traffic, increased livability in the canal zone and safe connections between residential areas. A total of 18 junctions and approx. 30 km of roadway will be tackled thoroughly to the north of Ghent. Commissioned by De Werkvennootschap, SBE will work together with Arcadis to manage this complex and varied project.
For car traffic and heavy transport, the new R4 West guarantees a smooth connection between the E34/Netherlands and the E40/E17, where the modified R4 East ensures easy access to the Ghent port companies. By converting these junctions, reducing the number of entrances and exits of the ring road, we not only realize smoother traffic, but also make it safer. Almost all level junctions with traffic lights are being replaced by bridges, tunnels and underpasses.
Moreover, the livability of the canal zone will be increased. By removing entrances and exits, local roads will be closed to heavy traffic. Local traffic and cyclists will still be able to cross the ring road in various places, guaranteeing good accessibility to the village centers. After this project, cyclists will be able to enjoy a fully free-standing cycling road network along the ring road, within a green environment. In addition to the construction of noise barriers in the most densely populated areas, sufficient space will also be provided along the infrastructure for high-quality greenery and water buffering.
Commissioned by De Werkvennootschap, SBE will work together with Arcadis to manage this complex and varied project. The dossier will be marketed as a DBFM. In order to maximize the modal shift (i.e. as many people as possible on a bike instead of in a car), a number of junctions will be removed from the project and realized in advance as quick wins (Eurosilo’s junction and 3 bicycle bridges).
In preliminary studies, it is very important to immediately get in touch with the different aspects of the design: from optimization studies in the field of mobility over construction design to the electromechanical equipment and spatial integration of the different junctions. And that is precisely what the SBE team can accomplish thanks to their many years of expertise. Finding creative solutions without compromising practical feasibility and practicability. In addition, communication with the various residents and stakeholders must not be lost sight of. This communication is supported by attractive visualizations that are also provided by the design team. Only by involving all disciplines and stakeholders from the beginning a fully supported and integrated dossier be brought to the market.
In concrete terms, the tasks of the SBE-Arcadis partnership consist of the following:
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