Filenews 31 March 2022 - by Socrates Ioakim
The environmental authority has given a green light to the project concerning the improvement of existing forest roads in the area of the Akamas National Forest Park.
The project concerns Phase A improvement of the road network which includes improvement of existing roads with a total length of approximately 13.4 km as follows:
-Road 1A: Toxeftra – Aspros Potamos – Lara 6,6 km Existing width 5-9 meters
- Road 2: Circular Laras 2.7 km Existing width 3.5-5 meters
-Road 4B: Toxeftra – Avakas – Lipati 4.1 km Existing width 3.5-5 meters
The estimated implementation period of the project is 14 months.
These roads are considered important for the organization, guidance and management of visitors at the facilitation and service junctions of the Akamas National Forest Park, other permitted places or points of interest and restriction of uncontrolled parking of vehicles and access to the rest of the Park. They also serve fire protection and management purposes.
The roads that will be improved will not be declared as public roads, and the Rules of the Park will be applied and there will be a control of implementation and compliance of visitors by the Parkhouses.
In the Akamas National Forest Park there is an extensive road network, as a result of the creation of roads that are used for various purposes e.g. for protection from forest fires, from locals, from users of rented motorcycles / four-wheelers and from hunters. All roads are dirt roads and most of them are accessible only by all-wheel drive vehicles (4x4).
The work for each section to be improved is as follows:
-Road 1A: Aspros Potamos - Toxeftra - Lara includes the improvement of the road across the width, the configuration of parking spaces, the drainage of rainwater, the installation of a water supply pipeline for junctions of the National Forest Park (Aspros, Lara/Innia, North and South Gulf of Lara). Water mouths will be installed for fire protection purposes, and construction of 6 cist culverts and 1 tubular culvert. The standard cross-section of width 6.7-7.2 meters includes 5.5 meters of road surface, 0.70 meters of groove and 1-2 supports in positions 0.5 meters wide. Duration of implementation 9 months.
-Road 2: Circular Laras includes the improvement of the road throughout the width and drainage of rainwater of the road deck. The standard cross-section 4.9 meters wide includes 3.5 meters of road surface, 0.70 meters of support and 0.70 meters of groove. Duration of implementation 3 months.
-Road 4B: Toxeftra – Abakas – Lipati includes the improvement of the road in the entire width, the drainage of rainwater of the street deck, the creation of roadside parking spaces width, the construction of retaining walls and the construction of three box-shaped culverts. The standard cross-section 6.4-6.7 meters wide includes 4.8 meters of road surface, 0.30 meters footage, 0.70 meters groove and 0.6-0.8 meters for installation of a safety parapet.
The improvement of the road network concerns the existing access to the popular points of interest of Akamas, Toxeftra, Gulf of Lara and Avakas Gorge and the guidance of visitors to the facilitation and visitor service hubs that will be created.
The roads Aspros Potamos – Lara and Toxeftra – Avakas – Lipati are defined as roads within the Akamas National Forest Park where access to Private Vehicles will be allowed, while in the roundabout laras section the use will be allowed only by Vehicles of the Park. The road will be periodically maintained by mechanical means, such as the usual activity on rural and forest roads. The road network that will be improved falls within the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Pegeia and the Communities of Pano and Kato Arodon and Inia and is located within the urban zones da1-PF, Da1, T3b, Z4-PF. Also, the project is located in the Akamas National Forest Park which is a State Forest and has been declared a National Forest Park according to the Forest Law and is part of the area of the Natura2000 Network "Akamas Peninsula"
The estimated cost of the project is estimated at €6 million.
