Attica Ring Road: tender for Kymis Avenue extension to take place during 2021

The extension of Kimi Avenue, through which Attiki Odos will be connected to PATHE, will be a public project and therefore without tolls, announced the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Costas Karamanlis, answering a relevant question of the New Democracy MP Mr. George Koumoutsakos.

Mr. Karamanlis stressed that this project is a priority for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and for this reason it was decided to unblock the extension of Kymi Avenue, from the wider concession contract of Attiki Odos, which is handled by the HRDH. That is, the project became public and not part of the concession.

Thus, the extension of Kymi Avenue will be able to be auctioned within 2021, while the concession contract of Attiki Odos expires in 2024.

“We chose the solution that is faster, because the contract of Attiki Odos does not end in 2021, it ends in 2024 at the latest. So we brought this project three years ahead and quickly proceeded with the studies, so that we can auction it in 2021”, stressed Mr. Karamanlis.

“From the moment it is done as a public project, we will not put tolls on a 3.8 km long road”, he added, pointing out that if it was included in the concession contract of Attiki Odos, the concessionaire would put tolls.

Regarding the financing of the project, Mr. Karamanlis stated that its inclusion in the Recovery Fund has been requested, in order to achieve its faster implementation, but its co-financing from European Union funds has been ensured in any case.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has also included the work of expanding Kymi Avenue both in the National Strategic Transport Plan (ESSM) and – mainly – in the planning for the new Programming Period 2021-2027.

Mr. Karamanlis stated that the design of the project includes:

1. The extension that will start from the junction of Attiki Odos and will end at the junction of Kaliftaki in Kato Kifissia.
2. A 1,260-meter-long underground mining tunnel and a 1,160-meter tunnel, with an open Cut & Cover type excavation.

And he spoke of a “very important project”, which will upgrade Northern Athens, and reshape the entire Northeastern Attica, decongest the already congested traffic within the Basin, but will also provide a solution to the issue of traffic at the Metamorfosi Junction.