R3 (ring road)

Ring R3
Route information
Length	33 km (21 mi)
Location
Country	Belgium
Highway system
Highways of Belgium Motorways National Roads

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

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

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

• Wegen-Routes
• Autosnelwegen.net