Filenews 6 March 2023 - by Dora Christodoulou
The road that connects the city of Paphos with the Industrial Area on the border with the Municipality of Geroskipou, is already proving to be very useful for traffic in the eastern area of the city, but it presents the oxymoronic phenomenon of creating at the same time a traffic jam at its entrance. This is mainly observed during the noon and evening hours, when there is increased commercial traffic in a well-known chain of restaurants operating on the spot.
During these hours, officials acknowledge, there is a problem with the traffic on the bypass itself, but also on a part of the Northern Bypass that passes through the point. This is because the catering centre, which also operates in the form of a drive in, is located right at the junction of the new route with the North Bypass, resulting in rush hour congestion at the junction point of the two roads, which is also served by traffic lights.
Excluding this aspect, according to the same factors, during this period of operation of the bypass, a significant discharge of traffic has already been recorded at the Paphos boundaries with the Municipality of Geroskipou. Many drivers heading through the Northern Bypass to the exit of the Municipality to go to Geroskipou and the communities of eastern Paphos, use this road that leads within Geroskipou, resulting in a significant reduction in traffic at the Pafiakos junction and the surrounding area.
This fact, according to competent bodies, justifies the obsession of everyone in Paphos for the construction of the road and increases the feelings of relief and satisfaction of the public who see an inconvenience in which they were forced to participate daily, fail to disappear or even to be reduced to a significant extent.
The project was carried out under the responsibility of the Department of Public Works and was a strong request of the local communities and especially of the professionals of the Industrial Area, since with its construction the access to and from this area becomes immediate and without the need for a whole bypass as was the case until recently.
Efforts to build the road, which from the Paphos-Geroskipou Industrial Area ends at the North Bypass, began with the initial design in 2004. After the bidding process the projects were to start in 2013, but they were cancelled like all other projects at the time due to the economic collapse and after many attempts they finally started in 2019.
At a cost of €6.5 million, the project is now operational.
