Brussels' Rue Sainte-Catherine will become completely car-free from the end of 2021, announced alderman for Urban Planning Ans Persoons.
The works will start in the spring of 2021, and will not last longer than four months, Persoons said in a Facebook post. The works should happen in a fragmented way to limit the nuisance as much as possible, so that shops and homes remain accessible at all times.
"The street is such a typical street that is used very intensively by pedestrians, and where you instinctively feel that the cars are too much," Persoons said.
The authorities want to preserve and strengthen the "unique character" of the Rue Sainte-Catherine, and create more space for pedestrians.
"It may not be a long street, but it is a Brussels 'classic' with which many people have a special bond," Persoons said.
The application for a permit and the appointment of a contractor to carry out the works will still happen this year.
Local residents and traders have been consulted, but comments and/or proposals can still be made until 4 July, Persoons said. The definitive plans will be presented after the summer.
Currently, the Rue Sainte-Catherine is a busy commercial and catering axis between the square of the same name and the pedestrian zone, which already begins in Rue Paul-Devaux.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
