Ionia Odos

The Ionia Odos (Greek: Ιόνια Οδός), sometimes called Ionian Highway in English, is a motorway, currently under construction, running through the western part of Greece. The total length will be 196 km from Rio to Ioannina. It is part of the E55 on its full length, along with the non-motorway part of Kakavia - Ioannina. The full length of the motorway will be completed by the end of 2013.^[1][2]

Construction

Construction began in 2001 on an interchange outside Missolongi near Aitoliko along Greek National Road 5 with a paved section built up to near Angelokastro. Construction stopped shortly after, with rumors of funding problems with the builders.

In late 2006, Greece signed a €1.4 billion deal with a Greek-Spanish consortium consisting of construction firms GEK Group of Companies SA, Terna SA, Cintra SA (Cintra), and Actividades de Construcción y Servicios (Grupo ACS). The consortium, now operating under the name "Nea Odos", will build and operate the road, receiving toll fees for 30 years, while investing a combined €1.15 billion in the project. The rest of the funds will be provided by the European Union and the Greek government. Nea Odos is also responsible for the maintenance and upgrading of the PATHE motorway (A1) section from Metamorphosi I/C in Athens to Skarfeia I/C near Lamia, where it will also collect the toll fees. Construction, undertaken by the Euroionia Joint Venture (Terna SA, Dragados SA and Ferrovial SA) finally started in 2008 with a completion date of 72 months.^[3] The bill was later ratified on March 28, 2007.^[4]

Construction began with repairs and completion of the existing section (Agrinio bypass), with construction toward Rigani and Kouvara. Construction has also started in a number of new sections: the Antirio to Kefalovryso section (where the tunnels of Makyneia and Kalydona are already under construction) and parts of the motorway bypassing Amfilohia. The final completion date will be around 2012. The previously completed section of the motorway was opened to traffic in 2009, running up until the current construction. The project has been marred by lack of vacant possession of land, necessary for construction, which leads to undue delays.

Interchanges

Below are the planned interchanges with their current status^[5]:

See also

• List of Greek roads - including highways

References