EPIRUS

The section of the Egnatia Motorway crossing Epirus extends from the port of Igoumenitsa to Panagia and has a length of 123 km.

It is a four-lane motorway, with a cross section width of 22 m, with two traffic lanes and a hard shoulder per direction and a new jersey separating the two directions.

This section of the Egnatia Motorway was the most difficult to construct from the technical viewpoint, due to the fact that the road passes from an area characterized by difficult geomorphological conditions, as it intersects perpendicularly the mountains of Pindos. This resulted in serious geological problems that to a great extent determined the alignment of the road.

Approximately 30% of the Egnatia Motorway in Epirus consists of major structures. In particular, 32 twin-tube tunnelshave been constructed, covering a length of approximately 30 km (total length of 58 km, measured as a single bore). Dual carriageway bridges of a length of 7,5 km (or 15 km measured as a single carriageway) are also under construction. Five (5) of these bridges have a length exceeding 500 m. 13 Interchanges have also been constructed.

The following belong to the section’s big structures:

• The twin-tube tunnel of Dodoni, of a length of 3,3 km per bore.
• The twin- tube tunnel of Driskos, of a length of 4,5 kmper bore, which is the longest tunnel of the Egnatia Motorway.
• The twin-tube tunnel of Metsovo, of a length of 3,5 km per bore.
• The bridges of the rivers Arahthos and Mestovikos.

These are structures of particular interest, in areas of extreme natural beauty.

The bridge of Arahthos has a length of approximately 1000 m, while the bridge of Metsovitikos has a length of 530 m, very high piers (>100 m) and a middle span of 230 m.

The total expense of the completion of this motorway section of 123 km in Epirus amounts to approximately € 2,2 billion(VAT not included). The projects were financed by national and Community funds (50%), within the framework of 2nd and 3rd CSF OP- RAPUD and ROP of Epirus), as well as the Cohesion Fund. Loans issued by the EIB covered parts of the national contribution.

WEST MECEDONIA

The section of the Egnatia Motorway crossing West Macedonia extends from Panagia (area of the Brown Bear) to Polymylos and has a total length of approximately 110 km.

It is a four-lane motorway, with a cross section width of 24,5 m (or 22 m at mountainous adverse sections), with two traffic lanes and a hard shoulder per direction and a central reserve separating the two directions.

Important Structures

The construction of the project in West Macedonia presented particular difficulties, as the road crossed the mountains of Pindos, passing from areas of fauna and flora of particular environmental importance, the most important of them being the brown bear habitat.

EGNATIA ODOS AE, in cooperation with environmental organizations (Arcturos etc) and with the contribution of foreign experts, has chosen and implemented this particular alignment, in order to meet the environmental requirements to the maximum possible extent and reduce impacts on areas of the brown bear habitat.

Therefore, dual-carriageway bridges of a total length of 10 km (5 km per carriageway) and twin- tube tunnels of a total length of 22 km have been constructed. This percentage is actually bigger, if we add to it five (5) wildlife under passes and one green bridge. These crossings concern mainly the big mammals, such as the brown bear but also foxes, wolves, hares, deer, wild boars etc.

The total expense of the completion of 110 km of the motorway from Panagia IC to Polymylos IC amounts to € 933 million (VAT not included).

The projects were financed by national and Community funds, by the OP “Accesses and Road Axes” of the 2nd CSF and by “Road Axes, Ports, Urban Development of the 3rd CSF”.

CENTRAL MACEDONIA

The section of the Egnatia Motorway crossing Central Macedoniaextends from Polymylos to Strymonas and has a total length of 191 km.
It is a four- lane motorway, with a cross section width of 24,5 m (or 22 at adverse mountainous sections), with two traffic lanes and a hard shoulder per direction and a central reserve separating the two directions.

At section Klidi- Thessaloniki- Derveni, which has a length of 45 km, it becomes a six-lane motorway with three lanes and a hard shoulder per direction. Here we have a section of 25 km, which is also common to PATHE motorway.

This section includes big bridges of a total (approximate) length of 7 km and tunnels of an (approximate) length of 18 km, as well as a great number of junctions and major structures.

The total expense of the completion of section Polymylos- Strymonas amounts to € 1.298 million(VAT not included).

The projects were financed by the OP “Road Axes” of the 3rd CSF and the Cohesion Fund, while loans were issued by the EIB to cover the national contribution.

Kastania bypass.

Kastania bypass was constructed in Central Macedonia and involves the section of the Egnatia Motorway from Polymylos to Veria, which has a total length of 26 km.

The construction of this section was one of the most difficult, from the technical viewpoint, as the axis crosses the mountain of Vermio, at the borderland between West and Central Macedonia, an area characterized by an intense terrain, a high elevation and difficult climate conditions (frequently encountered fog, frost etc).

The section includes twin-tube tunnels of a length 14 km(7 km per bore) and big bridges with high piers of a total length 2,8 km (1,4 km per bridge carriageway).

This is an extremely important project. With the construction of the motorway, the time required to drive, when passing from the area of Kastania was reduced to 15’, while the driving conditions have become considerably easier and safer. The construction cost of Kastania bypass amounts to € 485 million (VAT not included).

EAST MACEDONIA & THRACE

The Egnatia Motorway on East Macedonia & Thrace extends from the river of Strymonas to Kipi in the district of Evros, a section of a total length of 246 km.

It is a four-lane motorway, with a cross section width of 24,5 m (or 22 m at adverse mountainous sections), with two traffic lanes and a hard shoulder per direction, and a central reserve separating the two directions.

The total expense of the completion of 246 km of motorway from Strymonas IC to Kipi amounts to € 1.042 million (VAT not included).

The projects were financed by the OP of the 2nd and 3rd CSF (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund, while loans were issued by the EIB to cover the national contribution.

This section of the Egnatia Motorway includes a great number of bridges, of a total length of approximately 18 km (measured as a single carriageway) and a great number of tunnels, of a total length of approximately 12 km (measured as a single bore).

On this section of the motorway, from Hrysoupoli IC to Vaniano IC (a length of approximately 17km) the alignment crosses the area of Nestos biotope, which is an area protected by the Ramsar Convention.