Starting next week, construction sites will commence work on the construction of the Thessaloniki Ring Road.

There has been a commitment from the political leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to monitor and intervene whenever necessary to ensure the completion of the project.

This was announced during a special event by the Ministry for the commencement of the construction of the FlyOver, with a total budget of €373.2 million, by the joint venture ABAX - Mytilinaios, with a 50% - 50% partnership.

THE PROJECT

This involves the construction of a 13 km long highway, which will include the creation of an Elevated Expressway - 4 km in length - on a continuous bridge, 9 grade-separated interchanges, 10 new bridges, and 3 new tunnels, with significant benefits. The project will be implemented in the form of a PPP (Public-Private Partnership), with a planned 26-year operation and maintenance period. Upon completion, the project will serve 10,000 vehicles per hour in each direction, and it is estimated that during its construction, more than 1,000 workers will be employed.

The initial works will involve the relocation of the lighting poles from the median barrier where they are currently located to the edges of the two lanes of the eastern inner ring road. As part of this, the right lane will be gradually closed in each direction in order to complete the installation of the new lighting.

In approximately four years, Thessaloniki will have a new, state-of-the-art elevated highway, which will contribute to addressing traffic issues, ensuring faster, safer, and toll-free travel," noted Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras. Additionally, he pointed out that in the broader area, significant road, flood protection, building, and railway projects are being implemented by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

He also reminded that in 2024, the Thessaloniki Metro will be delivered and put into operation, followed by the extension to Kalamaria with a duration of approximately six months, and preliminary work is underway for its northwest expansion.

BENEFITS

• Free, fast, and secure bypass of the urban fabric of the city of Thessaloniki.

• Increased road safety due to a reduction in the number of accidents.

• Environmental enhancement of the broader area, with a reduction in the volume of vehicles circulating within the center of Thessaloniki and an increase in the average speed of vehicles traveling outside the center.

• Improvement in the offered tourism product of Northern Greece, as current accessibility to "Macedonia" Airport and the tourist destinations of Halkidiki is not satisfactory, especially during peak seasons.

• Significant reduction in the time and cost of transportation and an increase in competitiveness, especially in the secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy of the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area.