Stay informed about the works on the R4 West and East

In the coming years, major efforts will be made to improve traffic safety on the R4, the ring road around the port in Ghent. R4WO wants to keep you as well informed as possible about these major works.

The works on the R4 West and East are very ambitious. The project is restructuring the R4 on both sides of the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal, West and East, to make traffic smoother and safer, and to improve the quality of life in the surrounding residential areas and neighbourhoods. These works have a direct impact on the Ghent section of North Sea Port, the accessibility of the port, and the residential areas.

With R4WO, the Flemish Government is investing in a safer and smoother R4, with attention to liveable residential areas and better cycling connections. This large‑scale project, the second largest construction site in Flanders after Oosterweel, covers both the west side of the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal (from Wondelgem to Zelzate) and the east side (from Oostakker to Wachtebeke).

The works include new bridges, tunnels and cycle paths, carefully designed to remain part of the public space for many years. According to the current schedule, the works will be completed at the beginning of 2031. It involves an investment of 726 million euros.

In 2024 and 2025, preparatory works will be carried out, which are necessary to make the actual reconstruction possible. These activities ensure that the infrastructure is ready for the real conversion. They include, among other things:

• The removal of trees and shrubs.
• Work on drainage in the area.
• Preparatory earthworks.
• Starting work at several junctions (Brugsevaart in Wondelgem, Ringvaart bridge bypass in Wondelgem, Nieuwe Kale in Evergem, and Moervaart‑Noord in Sint‑Kruis‑Winkel).