The current road bridge between Ooigem (Wielsbeke) and Desselgem (Waregem) is too low for modern inland shipping. Waterway manager De Vlaamse Waterweg nv is therefore building a new, higher bridge in collaboration with the municipality of Wielsbeke and the city of Waregem. The contractor officially started on July 1st 2020, but from 19 October the works will actually start on site. They will take 1,5 years.
The works in Ooigem and Desselgem are part of the inland shipping project Seine Scheldt Flanders, which is supported by the European Union. The new bridge will be a steel arch bridge of 99 meters long and 19 meters wide. The design looks light and contemporary. The new bridge over the Lys will be at the same location as the current bridge, so that the impact on the environment is limited. In this way, all homes and a valuable nature reserve are preserved. The cost of building the new bridge is estimated at 6,6 million euros.