Attica’s 500-mln-euro roadwork plans
Attica is bracing for work to start on road tunnel projects and other similar interventions currently planned for the next few years and budgeted at half a billion euros.
The aim is to improve quality of life and reduce traffic jams, while in some cases – such as at Elliniko – the projects are linked to major development and urban revamp plans.
The first such project, expected to get under way within a few months, is the overhaul of Faliro Bay, which the Ellaktor group will undertake with a budget of 150 million euros. It includes creating two tunnels along Poseidonos Avenue totaling 3 kilometers in length, from Faliro to the Peace and Friendship Stadium.
Another 3 km tunnel is planned for the stretch of Poseidonos from the beach at Alimos to the marina at Elliniko. This forms part of the Elliniko plot development, linking the northern and southern parts of the old airport and securing access to the beach. The cost of the tunnel is estimated at 200-300 million euros and construction work is seen taking three years, provided all permits for the Elliniko development worth 8 billion euros are also issued.
Toward the end of the year a project for a railway tunnel at Sepolia, western Athens, is also expected to be put out to tender. This is a 110-million-euro plan that recently secured 40.3 million euros in funding from the Connecting Europe Facility. The 3.1 km tunnel will boast a quadruple railway line linking the Athens Railway Station (Stathmos Larissis) with the Treis Gefyres area. That should also take three years.
Separately, the Attica Regional Authority will fund the creation of a triple junction at Skaramangas in western Attica and the completion of the Aegaleo Ring Road, linking it with the Athens-Corinth National Road. The 45-million-euro project is expected to be auctioned late this year or early next year.
Construction sector professionals say this is one of the most important projects for Attica, as it will ease traffic on the beleaguered Schistou and Athinon avenues at Skaramangas.
