Making Fernand Cocq great again

If you are currently living in Fernand Cocq, your neighbourhood will soon take shape again. It is worth waiting.

Massive road works are indeed taking place from Porte de Namur to Fernand Cocq, and it made your bus 71 late, by using a different way to reach Flagey. It is right that unterminated road works are a Belgian traditional dish. In Fernand Cocq, it however should not happen, as the works aim to make the neighbourhood attractive (again?).

If you live in Fernand Cocq or if you are used to walk or drive there, you definitely have realised how messy and uncomfortable it is. Good news, the road works should make it more intermodal, more comfortable, and more attractive for shops.

It is first of all important to underline how the decision was taken. Both the road works and future project indeed lie within participative democracy. Ixelles citizens and shop owners were then involved in the process, and the Region Brussels-Capital held several workshops and debates with different stakeholders.

The first goal is of course about making the stop the traffic thanks to a multimodal perspective. The pedestrians will have a priority access in the future from Porte de Namur to Fernand Cocq, but the bus, bikes and residents with cars will also be allowed to have an access. The other cars will however not have the right to be there from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm, thanks to CCTV cameras around. The Internet of Things is coming!

It then should make the zone quiet and better for the residents and eco-friendly citizens. In case you did not know yet, Brussels is one of the worst cities in the World in what regards traffic jam! Every initiative to make the traffic better are then welcome.

The second main goal of this project is about making the neighbourhood more attractive. Ixelles is a very dynamic Belgian commune, both for culture and shops, and the Chaussée d’Ixelles is calling for a fresh face for a while. The works will then induce a better quality of life and a better access to the shops around. The different strategic points of the neighbourhood (schools, city offices, cinema and museum) will also have better connections. Fernand Cocq will then be a real touristic zone, as it has been designated few months ago.

Let’s wait now, it definitely should be great again!