VOAK Motorway: the latest developments about the side road network

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport proceeded with the hiring of a Consultant to assist the Directorate of Transportation Infrastructure in the elaboration of a preliminary design for road construction and plumbing in the adjacent section of VOAK motorway from Chania to Neapolis.

The contractor of the project through a relevant tender was the company GAIAKOM which undertook the project for 138,000 euros (amount without VAT).

This preliminary design will concern the side network that will be created on the future highway and will include both sections as they have been separated from the tenders that started in 2018. The first tender will concern the section Chania-Heraklion-Hersonissos as a concession contract and the second the section Hersonissos-Neapoli as a PPP.

The completion of all studies is estimated at about one year from today, a time that is considered by the government as the real start of the bidding process, since there will be all the design and basically the physical object of the project.

This was recently supported by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Costas Karamanlis, who noted that what he received from the previous political leadership was “just a pencil on the map” with a competition of interest without any study maturity.

The financial model

The financial model envisages the maximum state participation in the amount of 800 million euros. More specifically, until today, this model is as follows:

First, the Design – Construction works amount at almost 1.5 billion euros, with full provision for the construction upgrade of the existing bypasses of Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion.

 Secondly, we maintain the tolls, that were provided by the SYRIZA government, with a charge of 0.063 euros / km.

Third, fluctuating payments from the Greek State as a percentage of actual tolls.

Fourth, a financial contribution of the State amounting to a maximum of EUR 800 million.