Work on a cycle route connecting Luxembourg with the Belgian border city of Arlon was officially inaugurated on Monday, aiming to offer the more than 30,000 Belgian commuters who travel through the city en route to the Grand Duchy each day a credible alternative to the car from 2028.
Work on the Belu project – based on the abbreviated names of the two countries – began on Monday 13 April, specifically designed to address chronic road congestion.
Budget of €2.7 million in Luxembourg
Led by six Belgian and Luxembourgish partners and supported by the European Interreg Greater Region 2021–2027 programme, the project aims to create a cycle route of around 10 km, linking existing networks up to the entrance to Arlon.
The total investment is just under €10 million, of which 40% is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Luxembourg taxpayer will foot just under €2.7 million of the bill.
Patchwork of paths
On the Luxembourg side, the project involves the redevelopment of the Kleinbettingen–Steinfort section of the PC12 cycle path, covering a distance of 5.25 km.
The stated objective is twofold: to improve safety along the existing route and to better integrate it with transport hubs, notably by creating direct access to Kleinbettingen station. The future route will link the towns of Kleinbettingen, Hagen and Steinfort, largely following the old disused railway line.
Also read:Cycle path to connect Arlon and Luxembourg
Nearly half of the route will follow existing paths, with improvements limited to signage and surfacing. Other sections will involve new construction, notably on the railway platform, where a three-metre-wide, dedicated two-way cycle path will be built.
The project also includes safe crossings at junctions with state roads, as well as specific measures in areas with heavier traffic, such as on the Arlon road (N6) in Steinfort, where traffic lights will be installed.
Work to be completed in Luxembourg in 2027
Certain adjustments to the route have been decided upon to preserve ecologically sensitive areas, identified during an environmental impact assessment carried out in 2017. In some places, the cycle path will be deliberately shifted to preserve areas favourable to specific flora and fauna, including lizards recorded on the site.
Work is getting underway this month in the municipality of Steinfort, under the supervision of the Public Works Department. Completion is scheduled for May–June 2027.
The municipality of Koerich will, for its part, provide the link connecting to the existing cycle path towards Windhof and Luxembourg City.
Construction due to finish in Belgium in 2028
In Belgium, work is scheduled to begin later this year. It will mainly involve converting the area alongside the N4 into a cycle highway, covering approximately 6km between Arlon and Steinfort.
The project includes the redevelopment of several junctions, lighting along the route and the securing of access points, led by the SPW Mobility and Infrastructure (Public Service of Wallonia Mobility and Infrastructure) and Sofico (Walloon Infrastructure Financing Company), in collaboration with the city council of Arlon.
Subject to any unforeseen construction delays, the entire cross-border cycle route is expected to be operational by early 2028, adding a new route for daily travel between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the province of Luxembourg.
(This article was originally published by Virgule. Machine translated, with editing and adaptation by Alex Stevensson)