Here’s one of Central Greece’s new big road projects – From Lamia in the east to Antirrion in the west

Ms. Peggy Aravantinou, Regional Councilor of the Fokida Regional Unit, spoke about the significance of the Lamia-Itea-Antirrio axis at the recent conference of the Fokida Chamber of Commerce. As she noted, the Thermopylae-Antirrio axis (Lamia-Itea-Antirrio) is part of the European Axis E65, which connects Northern with Southern Europe. It has a total length of 160 kilometers and has been classified as a Secondary National Road Network. The road serves as a connection, located entirely outside urban areas (interurban road). It connects the prefecture of Fthiotida with the prefectures of Fokida and Aetolia-Acarnania, bypassing the settlements it passes through.

With the new road, the distance from Lamia to Patras will be reduced from 185 to 160 kilometers (that is, 25 kilometers less), while the required time will decrease from 3 hours to 2 hours with an average speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Ms. Aravantinou emphasized the importance of the Lamia-Itea-Antirrio axis because:

• Its construction completes the Basic Road Network of the country.
• It serves as the connecting axis between the motorways PATHE and E65 (in the Malian region) with the Ionian Highway (at Antirrio).
• It connects the Rio-Antirrio Bridge and, by extension, the Olympia Odos.
• It connects the Ionian Sea with the Aegean Sea.
• It links the ports of Thessaloniki, Volos, Stylida, Agios Konstantinos, Itea, and Patras, greatly upgrading the port of Itea into a significant port hub. This is greatly facilitated by the ongoing dredging and expansion of the Itea Port pier.

The segments of the Lamia-Itea-Antirrio axis are:

The segments of the Lamia-Itea-Antirrio axis are: the Bralos-Amfissa section, with a length of 32.5 kilometers currently under construction, the Amfissa-Itea section (where the Peripheral section of Itea is also included as an option), the Itea-Agios Nikolaos section, and the Agios Nikolaos-Antirrio section.

Indeed, as Ms. Aravantinou mentioned, in the section from Itea to Agios Nikolaos, there are mature studies and full environmental licensing. Some technical studies are still pending (construction details of tunnels, bridges, etc.). However, in the final section from Agios Nikolaos to Antirrio, there is no route designation yet, and preliminary and final studies for this section will need to be announced.

Regarding the Bralos-Amfissa section, which is currently under construction, it was noted that two projects are being executed. The first project is carried out by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, involving the Bralos-Amfissa section. Additionally, there is a 5-kilometer section funded with €12.5 million by the Region of Central Greece and implemented by the same ministry. Both projects are financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) for the period 2021-2027.

It is the bypass section of Gravia-Metalleia Voksidis, which significantly improves the existing route and creates a new junction at Vargiani. Subsequently, new route sections follow, bypassing the large turn before 51′, where there is an optional level junction. At this point, the first tunnel of the major contract begins. The level junction of Voksidis mines is optional because it was studied between 2014-2019, when funding for the major section had not yet been secured. The 5-kilometer section has a completion schedule of less than 2 years and is executed by the company INTERKAT.

Among other things, it is planned to widen the roadway from the current approximately 6.50m – 7.00m to 11.00m with one traffic lane and one multi-purpose lane in each direction, an additional slow lane on the uphill section from the Vargiani junction to the end of the under-construction section, embankments totaling 121.50m after the Vargiani junction, as well as the construction of other associated works.