The F106 bike highway between Herentals and Aarschot in Belgium no longer meets the standards for quality bike traffic. It is too narrow, has an outdated surface, and unsafe crossings. At the request of municipalities and cities, the Province of Antwerp is thoroughly examining the entire route to identify problem areas. Input from local residents and users is invaluable in this process. Therefore, the Province of Antwerp launched a participation platform where users of the F106 cycle highway can share their ideas and comments.
Figure 1: F106 intersection with the Heirbaan in Hulshout, Province of Antwerp
This digital platform is part of the goals of the Province of Antwerp's pilot project within the MegaBITS initiative. Citizens will be surveyed about obstacles, traffic safety issues, origin and destination of their daily commute, traffic mode, their demographic characteristics (age, gender, etc). There are several benefits of projects such interacting in a transparent way with citizens with hope to create more support for cycle friendly solutions. At the same time, the collected data can be used by the province to measure this support and provide engineering companies with relevant information on existing comfort, speed, obstacles, safety.
Currently, the project is in the study phase to map out the route's issues and opportunities. The focus is on safety and comfort for cyclists: making the path wider, giving cyclists priority, ensuring safer crossings, reducing obstacles, and providing a smooth surface.
The Platform
Local residents and cyclists know the F106, or "De Route" as it is popularly known, very well. Their knowledge is invaluable during this study phase. The users of the F106 cycle highway can contribute online by pointing out issues and opportunities on a map and adding images and explanations.
Luk Lemmens, the deputy responsible for Mobility in the Province of Antwerp, states: "Optimizing the F106 is a crucial step in promoting functional bicycle traffic across municipal boundaries. In this study phase, we highly value the input of our residents. They know the area well, experience the issues daily, and have great ideas for improving the route. We will integrate these insights wherever possible into the plan for a smoother, safer, and more comfortable bike highway. Optimization is also necessary due to the significant increase in commuter and school traffic on the bike highway network, including the F106. On peak days, more than 2,500 cyclists use the F106. Over the past four years, from 2019 to 2023, the number of cyclists has increased by 12.5% to nearly 300,000 cyclists annually."
Local Resident Annemie Van Dijck:"The Route, as people call the bike highway between Herentals and Aarschot, has always been my neighbour. I used to live near bike junction 66, essentially route 66. Recently, I bought a house on the other side of the village, in a street parallel to the route. This bike path is like the common thread running through my neighborhood. When I explain where I live to people, it’s always in relation to the route. I’m also there daily with my e-bike. I’m really looking forward to the improvements on the route."
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