Contractor pushes 1,000-ton bicycle tunnel under railway in Wilsele in one go

After more than an hour of hydraulic pushing, a 1,000-ton tunnel took its place beneath the railway in Wilsele. The unusual operation drew plenty of spectators.

The new bicycle and pedestrian tunnel will connect Bosstraat and Berghoekstraat as part of the F25 cycling highway between Leuven and Aarschot. Train services between the two cities were suspended during the work, which was designed to limit disruption to a single weekend.

“The tunnel weighs about 1,000 tons, is 13 meters long and 5 meters high,” engineer Jorn Huygen said. A hydraulic press moved the structure step by step across the 17-meter gap. The operation took about an hour and 15 minutes, he said, and went more smoothly than expected.

“

The tunnel weighs about 1,000 tons, is 13 meters long and 5 meters high.

Around two years of preparation preceded the installation of the prefabricated tunnel. Workers installed a groundwater drainage system and surrounded the construction pit with sheet piles. The pumped groundwater was made available free of charge to farmers and local residents.

The province of Flemish Brabant invested 10 million euros in the tunnel. Mobility deputy Bart Nevens said the cost was justified because cyclists previously had to use the busy Aarschotsesteenweg. The surrounding area will later be landscaped into a neighborhood meeting space, and the existing cycle path beside the railway will be widened to four meters. The tunnel is expected to open to cyclists by the end of 2027.

“

A lot of money, but the investment is worth it.