R3 (ring road)

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Ring R3 shield}}
Ring R3
Route information
Length33 km (21 mi)
Location
CountryBelgium
Highway system
  • Highways of Belgium

The R3 is a ring road around the city of Charleroi, Belgium. It is about 33 km long, with 2 lanes in each direction on most of its length and short sections with 2 + 3 lanes. While Charleroi is one of only few Belgian cities with a complete ring road, the R3 road only covers the western, southern and eastern portions of the ring, the northern part being covered by the A15 motorway.

The speed limit is 120 km/h (75 mph) on the entire length, except in some tunnels and on the Couillet viaduct, where the limit is lower.

History[edit]

The R3 was opened in phases from 1983 till 1988.

  • 1983: Châtelineau - Heppignies.
  • 1984: Marcinelle (Hublinbu) - Châtelineau.
  • 1985: Gouy-lez-Piéton - Trazegnies.
  • 1987: Fontaine l'Evêque - Montigny-le-Tilleul.
  • 1988: Trazegnies - Fontaine l'Evêque.

Course and exit list[edit]

Municipality Km. Exit Name Roads Notes
Courcelles 32.7 Gouy-lez-Piéton A15 / E42
30.4 1 Trazegnies N583
Fontaine-l'Évêque 26.1 2 Forchies-la-Marche N569
22.6 3 Fontaine-l'Évêque N54 / N90
Montigny-le-Tilleul Landelies viaduct
19.2 4 Montigny-le-Tilleul N579
Montigny-le-Tilleul viaduct
Charleroi 17.4 5 Mont-sur-Marchienne N53
16.0 Marcinelle A503
14.6 6 Marcinelle-Est Rue Chèvrefeuille
13.5 7 Marcinelle-Hublinbu Avenue des Tilleuls Access to clockwise direction only. Exit from counter-clockwise direction only.
Hublinbu tunnel (speed limit: 100 km/h (62 mph))
12.5 8 Couillet N5 / N572 / E420 Access to clockwise direction only. Exit from counter-clockwise direction only.
Couillet viaduct (speed limit: 100 km/h (62 mph))
Couillet tunnel (speed limit: 80 km/h (50 mph))
Châtelet 10.7 9 Blanche-Borne Rue de la Blanche-Borne
9.0 10 Châtelet N576
Châtelet viaduct
6.6 11 Châtelineau N569
Charleroi 5.7 12 Gilly N90
3.5 13 Soleilmont N587
Fleurus 0.0 Heppignies A15 / E42
−0.7 14 N568

References[edit]