Filenews 21 November 2021 - by Eleftheria Paizanos
Major road projects are planned to either start or continue in 2022, according to the transport ministry's budget. The road projects are expected to be implemented by the Department of Public Works, in an effort to improve the country's road network, which is the main supporting infrastructure for all sectors of the economy.
Cyprus relies exclusively on road transport for domestic transport, so it proceeds to the development of sustainable, safe and efficient road infrastructure for vehicle and motorcycle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The most important major road projects included in the 2022 budget are:
- Pafos-Polis Chrysochous Motorway
After the end of the tendering process that began in 2006 for the award of the project with the method Design - Construction - Financing - Operation, the design of the project was reviewed with the aim of reducing costs and is promoted in 2 phases. The first phase concerns the point, Agia Marinouda – Stroumbi, which is an area of 15.5 km. The design of the first section has been adapted according to the approved geometric standards to act as a two-lane interurban road, with a speed limit of 80 km / h.
Due to the uphill slope, additional traffic lanes will be constructed over a long length (about 12 km) on uphill slopes. The section of the road includes an interchange at the junction with the Limassol-Paphos motorway, next to Agia Marinouda, 2 drilling tunnels of 730m. and 290m. respectively, 5 belly bridges, 2 above-ground crossings and 9 underpasses and two temporary level roundabouts, one in the area of Tsada and a terminal in Stroumbi, at the junction to Kathikas. The tender for the design-construction of the project was announced in May 2019 and was awarded for an amount of €72.9 million however, the signing of the contract was delayed due to hierarchical recourse and was eventually made to the same contractor. The project was not secured by environmental approval but is promoted for reasons of public interest. Work began in May this year and will be completed on November 26, 2024. This section of the road will be connected to the existing road after Stroumbi and will operate autonomously. For the completion of the project as planned, there is a section of another 15 km. from Stroumbi to the entrance of the city.
For the implementation of the project, a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) has also been secured. Moreover, in relation to the second phase of the project, Stroumbi – Polis Chrysochous, public works will proceed with the procedures for the implementation of this part of the project when a relevant political decision is taken. The cost for the section of the road which is an area of 15.5 km. is estimated at around €50 million. A project note will be prepared to be included in the budget. Then the expropriation process will be completed and environmental approval will be secured, with the possibility of requiring an updated Environmental Study and a Proper Environmental Impact Assessment Study, because it is adjacent to areas that fall under a Natura 2000 Network. Consultants should also be assigned the adaptation of the preliminary study and the preparation of tender documents for a two-lane design project. At the same time, improvement works are being promoted on the existing road, with the aim of improving road safety and functionality, against preliminary expenditure. The 1st phase has already been completed and the completion of the 2nd phase is expected soon. The announcement of the 2nd phase will be made as soon as the expropriation process is completed. The works include sewers, construction of uphill lane in two sections and widenings / improvements of turns / contributions.
- Nicosia by-road perimeter motorway
This 32 km long motorway will connect the motorways leading to Nicosia. It starts from the area of Yeri, ends at the Nicosia-Palaichori motorway under study and includes its first section, from Anthoupoli to Anayia. The study for the preparation of construction plans began at the end of May 2007 and has been divided into 5 phases. Due to the complexity of the project, the involvement of several Municipal and Community Authorities, with multiple requests and technical problems, there is a delay in the completion of the study. The study is at an advanced stage, while by June 2014, all phases had been sent to the cadastre.
The first phase is between the Nicosia-Limassol motorway and Strovolos-Tseri avenue and is 7.5 km long. In March 2020, work began and should be completed in March 2023. The cost is €60.7 million. The project also includes 7km. secondary road network and 6km. connecting road network (junctions – ramps).
Moreover, the second phase of the project concerns the Nicosia-Palaichori road up to the avenue. Arch, Makariou in Lakatamia with a length of 2.15km. In the second half of 2022, the work will begin, which will last for two years at a cost of €21.7 million.
The third phase of the project concerns the section of the road Anthoupoli – Anayia which is 7 km long. The completion of studies/revisions is promoted, with the aim of enabling its co-financing by the Connecting Europe Facility - CEF and the EU Cohesion Fund for the next programming period 2021-2027. The cost of the project is estimated at €75 million.
- Kokkinotrimithia-Akaki-Astromeritis-Evrychou motorway
In the middle of next year, the start of works for the Astromeritis-Evrychou section of the road is expected. The studies have been updated and last October the notification of expropriations was published on 22/10/2021. At the end of the year, the tenders are expected to be announced and then in 2022 the construction works of the road will begin. It is estimated that the project for the section of the Astromeritis Eurouchus road will be implemented in 3.5 years. For this section of the road, an amount of €70 million will be spent next year.
Moreover, for the section of the Road Denia–Astromeritis, last month the preliminary study of the project, the environmental and techno-economic study, was completed. The environmental study was examined by the Environmental Authority and a positive opinion was issued last May. Then, a project note will be submitted and provided that the project receives a positive evaluation by the Ministry of Finance, the necessary procedures for the preparation of the documents / studies to promote the implementation of the project will be promoted. The new road will be about 19km long and the cost of its construction will exceed €100 million.
- Nicosia-Palaichori motorway
The revision of the study is in the final stage and includes a 4-lane highway between Anagyia and Agrokipia with a length of 8.5 km, interchanges at the junctions with the Ag. Ioannis - Acheras and with the regional Gymnasium and up to Agrokipia. In addition, it includes 8.5 km of secondary road network. Expropriations are expected to be sent soon for confirmation. The demand for tenders is placed in early 2022 and the start of the project in the autumn of 2022, with a duration of 3-3.5 years,. It's cost has been estimated preliminarily at around € 61 million.
- Limassol – Saittas Motorway
The road is 22 km long. and the study for its construction began in 2009 aiming to be delivered in three phases (Polemidia-Palodia, Palodia-Monagri and MonagriSaittas). The study of the first phase has been completed and the project is being carried out. For the second phase, the final study is expected, with the completion of the services' studies. The third phase concerns the section Monagri - Saitta. A preliminary final study was submitted, which was evaluated and the draft final study is awaited, when the studies of the Services are submitted.
In September 2020, the construction of the 3.7km long point of Polemidia-Palodia road began. The works will be completed in March 2023 and will cost €26.13m.
The section of the road, Palodia – Alassa, is 8km long. As soon as possible, a project note (PCN) will be submitted to the Directorate-General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development for evaluation/approval of the project and accordingly its inclusion in subsequent budgets as well as its implementation procedures including expropriations can be promoted. The cost is estimated at €66 million. The project should be completed within four years.
For the second phase of the project, which concerns the road between Alassa and Saittas, no timetable has been established for its implementation. The length of the road is 10.8km.
The junction for Stavros Avenue
- Construction of the Stavros Interchange at the entrance of Nicosia
The project is necessary for traffic management and decongestion at the entrance of Nicosia and is expected to start in 2023 and be completed in 2025. The necessary preliminary design was prepared by the Department of Public Works and was already sent to the Cadastre in February 2021 for the necessary expropriations and to the Services in July 2021. Soon a private designer will be assigned the preparation of the necessary documents for tendering, using the design-construction method. The construction cost of the project is estimated at €20 million.
The upgrade of the junction in Kornos
- (Creation of an entrance to Limassol and improvement of the entrance to Nicosia and the exit from Limassol)
Construction is in progress and will be completed in July 2022.
- Installation of sound barriers in Limassol bypass The installation of sound barriers in a length of about 400 meters has been completed in early 2021.
-Installation of sound barriers on Archangelou Avenue: At the end of October their installation in a section of 1100 meters was completed, while in 2022 the new phase of the project will be promoted.
- Installation of sound barriers in the area of Alambra: It is planned in 2022 to start work on the installation of 1km long sound barriers in the area of Alambra.
- Creation of access from the Limassol-Pafos motorway to the new Limassol stadium: The tenders for the construction of the project were submitted on 17/9/2021, and are being evaluated.
- Access of Nea Ledra from the I/C of Alexander the Great: It concerns the construction of a new road 1.4 km long. for connecting the District of Nea Ledra with the motorway. The start of the project is set for the end of 2021.
- Electric lighting of motorway junctions: Studies for electric lighting of junctions of older motorways are being prepared in the context of upgrading road safety
- Creation of service areas on the motorways: The creation of service areas / services is being studied. The studies are at a preliminary stage.
