Roadworks: The next big goals of 2022

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has signatures for six projects with a budget of 1.7 billion euros in its targets for 2022. The well-known saying “the beginning is half of the whole” is fully applied in infrastructure projects. During the year, a number of milestones will have to be taken to put the new projects on track, but also to pave the way for “never-ending” projects, such as the Northern Road Axis of Crete (VOAK) and the Salamina – Perama underwater link.

The delivery of the Amfilochia bypass, even during the summer, with a landmark in September is the first step for the completion of the Amvrakia Road. The project is already 12 years old from the first auction. As for the northern part of the E65 motorway, at the beginning of August the progress of its construction is expected to reach 34%.

By the end of 2022, the agenda of the General Directorate of Transport Infrastructure includes a total of 16 sub-objectives – key to the implementation of 10 major projects. At the top of the list is Northern Road Axis of Crete, which has to go through a few more steps to become a reality from one end of the island to the other. Of these, four steps should be completed by the end of the year.

Northern Road Axis of Crete and underwater tunnel to Salamis: How we will be led to inked contracts in 2023

These include the signing of the contract for the Neapoli – Agios Nikolaos section until the end of September, for which AKTOR is the temporary contractor. Also, for the large part of the concession, “Kissamos – Chania – Hersonissos”, the issuance of the Decision of Approval of Environmental Terms is expected by the end of June and will follow in the fall the beginning of the second phase of the tender, in order to submit of 2022 the binding offers.

A similar route is planned to be taken by the long-suffering tender of the submarine link Salamina – Perama, for which Decision of Approval of Environmental Terms is expected by the end of September, while the issues of the tender will be completed by the end of the year. If the goals are caught the two big concessions, which in total reach a budget of 2 billion euros, may have contractors even in 2023.

Upcoming signings

In contrast to the above projects, which seem to have been ongoing for ages, those that see signatures in 2022 are from the new batch of projects. The elevated Eastern Peripheral Road of Thessaloniki, known as Flyover, with a budget of 373 million euros, already has a temporary contractor, the association AVAX – Mytilineos. The signing of the PPP contract is planned by the end of the year.

Next September is the milestone for all three “fresh” competitions. Three road projects entered the competitive race at the end of 2021 and already have temporary contractors, overturning all the data to date on the country’s infrastructure projects. This is the first extension of Attiki Odos from Kymi Avenue to the national road, at the Kalyftaki junction, with a budget of 352 million euros, the bypasses of Chalkida and Psachna, amounting to 210 million euros and Bralos – Amfissa, with a budget of 285 million euros.

Another PPP project will change the country’s highways, even if it is not a classic infrastructure project. This is the electronic toll system, with a budget estimated at around 300 million euros. A milestone for the project is August. The goal of Transportation Ministry is to have by then awarded the contract of the Consultant which will essentially pave the way for the signing of the project agreement by the middle of 2023. It will be a system of tolls based on distance traveled and free flow, ie the transit will be non-stop at toll stations. It is noted that in total the new e-toll system of the country is expected to be delivered in use in 2026.