E40 / A10 Eastbound

The A10 Autosnelweg, signed mostly as the E40, is probably the most important motorway in Flanders. It connects the capital of Brussels with the North Sea coastal city of Oostende. During the 1950s, Oostende was a major connection point for ferries and freight from the UK. Thus, a motorway from Oostende to Brussels was deemed very important to the national economy. The first section of the E40/A10 to open was between Jabekke and Wetteren (just east of Ghent) in 1954. It was one of the first sections of A-road in Belgium to open. The rest of the route was completed by 1956. Oostende rapidly declined as a hub after the opening of the Channel Tunnel between Dover and Calais, but the road is still regionally important.

 

  Map showing the location of the E40 / A10 through Flanders (click the thumbnail for a larger image)
 
E40 / A10 Eastbound
  
The A10 begins eastbound at a large roundabout with the R31 on the southern side of Oostende. Here, the R31 provides a bypass of the city and it's port.  
Just past the roundabout, signs tell motorists that Oostende is ending and the fields of Flanders are beginning.  
The first reassurance marker eastbound on the A10. Belgian A-roads are signed only when they are not bound with an E-road.  
This is a standard sign in Flanders for regional identification. A large brown sign with a drawing and the name of the region in a serif font. This sign tells us that we are entering the Polders, a low-lying farming region that occupies the land adjacent to Belgium's coast.  
The first eastbound mileage sign in the median. Belgium regularly puts signs in the median but angles them because of a lack of room. They're still fairly legible this way.  
A standard Flemish kilometer marker. This shows the road as the A10 and the E40, and is incorrect. The A10 does not merge with the E40 for several more miles.  
The first eastbound exit is for Zandvoorde, a suburb of Oostende and gateway to a large industrial area.  
As the icon of a factory suggests, this exit serves a large industrial area adjacent to the A10 and an inlet of the Oostende's port.  
Fairly old signage is still up at this exit, with the exit number on a separate sign rather than incorporated on on a affixed tab.  
Another mileage sign eastbound on the A10, Jabbeke is where the A10 merges with the E40.  
On this blustery winter day, signs were up warning of hidden patches of ice on the road. Notice the kilometer marker is now correct, omitting the E40.  
A standard older canal sign, omitting the newer style wave icons. The road now passes just to the north of the town of Oudenburg.  
The first advance signage for the Jabbeke motorway junction appears, and there is plenty of advance signage for it.  
This diagramattical exit sign is somewhat unique in that an exit number is located as a control point for traffic straight ahead.  
Another warning sign for the exit.  
More advance signage. The E40 is a major cross-Europe route running from Calais all the way into Kazakhstan (although not always signed).  
Traffic can exit here and take the E40 west into France, where the road meets up with the Channel Tunnel.  
The speed limit through the interchange changes from 120 kph to 90.  
Another piece of advance signage for the interchange. This ranks as the best signed motorway interchange in the entire country.  
More advance signage for Jabbeke, the town is the location of an important rest stop and parking area along the E40.  
The exit for the E40 westbound. Each lane gets control points here, rather than the usual single city name with numerous arrows.  
Jabbeke is also the location of a regional police headquarters.  
The Jabbeke exit, now, only on the last few signs, are the local N-roads named.  
Standard white exit signage for the Jabbeke exit.  
At the Jabbeke exit, A10 eastbound.  
Here the A10 merges with the E40 and goes through a large rest stop. This marks the end of the A10's identity as a signed road. From here on, it is only signed as it's E-road.  
After several miles, the road runs south of the regional centre of Brugge. The E403 runs northward to the coast as an on-and-off expressway road. Extremely busy in the mornings with commuters driving to Ghent.  

 

 A mileage sign complete with E-road sign and motorway junction icon.  
The E403 exit is the gateway to Brugge. The city was founded almost 1,000 years ago and each summer is host to thousands of (mostly British) tourists.  
At the E403 exit in Brugge, standard pull through signage is here rather than the earlier practice of each lane getting a control point. South of here, the E403 remains as a motorway and continues southward to Kortrijk to end near Tournai and the French border.  
Surpringly, Lille is not listed here as a control point even though it is a very large city and regional destination. The E403 does not go directly to Lille, but passes very close.  
A standard Flemish motorway kilometer marker, now correctly listing both the E40 and the A10.  
Some distance after Brugge, near Sint-Joris - the E40/A10 crosses into the province of East Flanders. Flemish border markers all feature a yellowish background with the province's shield and "Heet U Welkom" listed below.  
As standard signage, the A10 has dissapeared on all reassurance markers in favor of the E40. Reassurance markers in Belgium usually have a priority road diamond affixed to the top, although being a motorway, it is not really very necessary.  
Before entering Ghent, another mileage sign again featuring a motorway icon and Eroad symbol.  
Entering Ghent, Antwerp appears as a control city via the E17.  
Exit 15 from the E40 through Ghent was closed in 2004 to improve traffic flow. Signs still show the exit number crossed out.  
A blank VMS though Ghent. Traffic disruptions and accidents ahead are shown when the need arises, and even time and temperature occassionally.  
A view of the E40 eastbound through Ghent. Soundwalls (which are rare in Flanders) grace the south side of the road as it passes near homes.  
Newer exit signage for the N43 exit near Ghent. The St. Denijs exit is the main arterial road into the centre of Ghent and the best exit to use for the regional train station here.  
Another exit tab with exit 15 added and crossed out. Exit 15 was very near Exit 14 and still has onramps, although there is no exit.  
The E40/A10 eastbound at N43. The R4 also makes an appearance here, as Ghent's main ring road.  
Finally arriving at the removed exit 15, this sign tells drivers in very obvious terms (with a red slash) that it is gone.  
The next main exit sign for the E17, which is a major road connecting Antwerp with Lille and Paris via France's A1.  
The E40 eastound at the E17. Since Ghent has passes, Aalst takes over as a secondary control point.  
   
     
     
     
     
     
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