There is talk to use the Waaslandtunnel, a.k.a. Konijnenpijp as a cyclists’ tunnel. Meanwhile, some dream of opening Antwerp International Airport (ANR) as a park.

Coronavirus COVID-19 reduces car traffic. Simultaneously, social distancing in Sint-Annavoetgangerstunnel or Saint Anne’s Pedestrian Tunnel is not respected.

So mobility experts such as Dirk Lauwers dream of of using the Waaslandtunnel for bikes. Its steep ramp – 3.5% – isn’t that unusual. The tunnel is used for the Antwerp 10 Miles anyway.

Others, lik the cyclists’ union Fietsersbond Antwerpen or SpeedPedelecFlanders dream of opening more streets to cyclists and even of bike lans especially for the fast, electric bikes.

Antwerp Airport and Antwerp Zoo

Opposition party Groen (the Greens) wants more. He wants to have the Zoo of Antwerp reopened and to open up Antwerp Airport as a park, much like Tempelhof in Berlin.

Groen has always hated Antwerp Airport.

Groen also thinks of the Boulevards (Leien), the Scheldt Quays (Scheldekaaien) or the General Leman Street (Generaal Lemanstraat) to be made pedestrian and cyclist.

Politics

Will it happen? Unlikely, as the ideas come from the opposition and politics stay politics. Antwerp alderman for Mobility Koen Kennis (N-VA) says there are less cyclists as well.

He doesn’t want to be drawn into experiments.

Buses

The Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer or Roads and Traffic Agency doesn’t say no, but wants to look into feasibility of the ideas.

A question which has to be answered is what to to with public transport in the tunnel and other candidate-pedestrian areas. That need consultation with De Lijn.   

Header photo: Nico
Source: Gazet van Antwerpen