2023-09-13 17:45:00
Since Monday, entering or leaving Huy via the Hamoir road (N66), between Strée and Huy, is no easy task and requires a fair amount of patience from motorists. A major road repair project on a section of more than a kilometer, on the heights of Huy, was launched Monday morning by the SPW (Wallonia Public Service), imposing a narrowing on a single lane of traffic with passage alternately via lights. “This involves rehabilitation work on the hydrocarbon coating, explains Sarah Pierre, spokesperson for the SPW. The work is taking place in four phases with the installation of traffic lights to regulate traffic. The work is scheduled until October 6 at 6 p.m. subject to possible construction site hazards and unfavorable weather conditions.”
Monday morning, many citizens were wondering about this surprise construction site that no one had heard of. No information was in fact communicated upstream via the official channels of the SPW or the Municipalities concerned (Modave and Huy, themselves visibly not informed). Motorists had therefore not made arrangements to avoid the scene. The traffic jams were significant, whether upstream or downstream. The national road is in fact the main axis linking Huy to Condroz. Furthermore, the poorly adjusted traffic lights have worsened the situation. “We observed a malfunction in the synchronization of the lights, recognizes the SPW, which caused queues. This malfunction is now resolved.”
During peak hours, however, traffic remains severely disrupted. And for good reason: there are few alternatives to avoid the N66, other construction sites blocking potential diversions. The Vierset crossing is under construction until the end of September and is closed to traffic. Going around the site through the Tihange woods (via Chemin du Chera) is equally impossible, the street having been closed since last November for repair work on a leak at the Bonne Espérance stream sluice. “The only solution is to take the Hoyoux valley then go up via Pont-de-Bonne or go towards Fond d’Oxhe in Nandrin, indicates the acting mayor of Huy, Éric Dosogne, but there are still significant detours. If the first section of the Tihange-Tinlot link had been opened, we could have had a second effective access. But the Municipality of Modave is obstructing…”
Nuisance, but for greater security
And temporarily open the path to the Chera, as several citizens suggest? “Technically Impossiblecuts the Hutois mayor. And even so, the street is put into local traffic and there is no question of polluting Tihangeois with through traffic.”
We can say that the N66 construction site comes at a bad time given the local situation. But the mayor of Huy assures him: this work, which is mainly on Huy territory, was essential. “This section of the N66 is in a poor state. The tarmac is very damaged. The safety of users, especially motorbikes, is at stake… I am satisfied that credits were able to be released by the SPW because there was an emergency. And postponing the work was risky. Not sure that the budgets will be recovered. It is clear that motorists have a feeling of wasting time. But these are works carried out for their own safety.”
On Modave’s side, we denounce the communication hiccup. “The SPW didn’t warn us of anything. We learned about the start of the project through social networks! However, the Vierset center is already suffering. We had the same experience for the chicanes of the N66 (see below) . They landed on September 6 without warning…”, regrets Alderman Bruno Dal Molin.
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