Oosterweel, the 'construction site of the century,' sees costs continue to rise

The Oosterweel project, Belgium's most ambitious infrastructure endeavor aimed at completing Antwerp's congested ring road, is facing escalating costs, with the price tag soaring to over 10 billion euros from an initial estimate of 3.6 billion euros.

Initially conceived to create a new highway link north of the port city, including a fourth tunnel under the Scheldt River, the project has evolved into a vast undertaking encompassing new road and cycling tunnels, a complete redesign of the existing ring road, the burying of highway sections, and the creation of urban parks and extensive cycling paths. This transformation positions Oosterweel as a metropolitan-scale project for mobility, urban planning, and environmental reclamation.

The most visually striking progress is the completion of the new Scheldt tunnel, which was physically put in place in 2025. Teams are currently working on its final assembly and interior outfitting. On the right bank, the Oosterweel highway interchange is also undergoing significant changes, with connections to the new tunnel, the existing ring road, and routes to the Netherlands under construction. A dedicated cycling tunnel under the Scheldt is expected to open in 2028.

Project officials attribute the cost increase not solely to inflation. The scope of the Oosterweel project has expanded considerably, incorporating more extensive ring road coverage, additional urban development features, and stricter environmental requirements. A significant factor contributing to the rising costs has been the management of PFAS pollution discovered across multiple construction zones.