Ionia Odos Motorway: “green light” for the new extension from Ioannina to the Greek – Albanian borders

The major road project that completes the Ionian Highway for the Ioannina-Kakavia section has been awarded to AVAX. According to a decision by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the first minutes of the tender were approved, making AVAX the temporary contractor for the project. From now on, there is a period of 10 days during which other bidders for the project can appeal.

The process of the minutes will continue by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport until the pre-contractual period of the tender begins. It is worth reminding that the tender started on Thursday, December 21, 2023. As informed by ypodomes.com, AVAX submitted the lowest bid at 17.50%. Terna came second with 16.5%, and the consortium DOMIKI CRETE – EKTER -ERETVO-TENA came third with 16.50%. Following them were INTRAKAT-METKA with 11.08% and ODOS-INTERKAT-ERGODOMIKI VOIOTIAS-ERGOKAT with 10.31%.

The next steps

Regarding the tender for the Ioannina-Kakavia project, the next steps involve reaching the third minute. Once again, one of the other consortia may lodge an appeal there. If everything proceeds smoothly, all necessary documents will be requested from the engineering company, and the contract text will be prepared. Subsequently, it will be submitted for approval to the Court of Audit, and after this stage, the project will be presented to the Greek Parliament. The final act of the tender will be the signing of the construction contract, which will give substance to its implementation.

If all the above proceed without delays, then perhaps by the end of summer, we may see the completion of the competitive process. With the start of the project, we will have the first major road project in Epirus since 2017 when the Ionian Highway was completed from Antirrio to Aitoloakarnania, almost reaching the entrance of the city of Ioannina, intersecting with the Egnatia Highway.

The tender for the Ioannina-Kakavia project has literally weathered storms. Originally, in the 2000s, the project was supposed to be included in the scope of the Ionia Odos Motorway, but due to opposition, this particular section was excluded. It was then incorporated into the NSRF 2007-2013 but was removed in 2016 due to stalled procedures. After years of inactivity, the project resurfaced in 2021 and finally, in early 2023, the tender was announced.

However, there were “adventures” there as well, as the process was canceled twice due to appeals from interested parties against the terms of the announcement. A third tender will be needed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, which eventually brings us to today and the hope that this project, with its long history, will finally manage to move forward towards implementation.

The peoject’s profile

The cost of the project including VAT is 310 million euros, while an additional 76 million euros are allocated for optional items, covering the section from Kalpaki to Kakavia and connections to the airport and the Ioannina Industrial Area. In total, the cost amounts to 386 million euros. The project is commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

More specifically, the project involves the construction of the section of the Ionian Highway from its junction with the Egnatia Highway to Kakavia and the Greek-Albanian borders. The project includes two subsections:

Subsection 1: Ioannina – Kalpaki. It starts from the end of the concession contract (Chainage 4+800) and ends at the end of the Kalpaki Interchange (Chainage 51+237.37), with a total length of 46.4 km of new alignment. This subsection includes six (6) Interchanges, among which the Kalpaki Interchange K3 (Chainage 21+940 – Chainage 23+441) constitutes Option 1, with a length of 1.47 km.

Subsection 2: Kalpaki – Kakavia. It starts from the end of the Kalpaki Interchange (Chainage 51+237.37) and ends at the Kakavia border station (Chainage 74+349.66), with a total length of 23.11 km. This subsection involves the upgrading of the existing road, which constitutes Option 2.

The duration of the works for the Ioannina-Kakavia project has been set at 54 months from the signing of the relevant contract. If the signatures are obtained by the summer of 2024, then the project, without accounting for delays, could be completed by the end of 2028. With the Ioannina-Kakavia project, the Ionian Highway is completed as a vertical axis, starting from Antirrio and ending at the Kakavia border crossing towards Albania.

The subject of the project

The Ionian Highway will expand with the Ioannina-Kakavia project. Specifically, the construction works will include:

• Completion of the Egnatia Interchange (K0).
• Construction of the highway section “Interchange of Ionian Highway with Egnatia Highway to Kalpaki Interchange,” with a length of 46.4 km (Chainage 4+800 – Station 51+237.37), including the construction of six (6) interchanges
• Motorway Kosmiras – Asvestochoriou , allows for the service of the settlements Kosmiras, Asvestochori, and Kontsikas from the Ionian Highway and has a “diamond” shape.
• Motorway Grammenochofion . It will serve the connection of the settlements Kontsikas, Lofiskos, Petralona, Perati, Grammeno, Vageniti, and Polilofos with the Ionian Highway and has a “diamond” shape.
• The Motorway Passaronos (Option 1) from Chainage 21+940 to Chainage 23+441 is intended to serve the connection of the northern section areas of the Ionian Highway with the airport, the Industrial Area, and the urban complex of the city of Ioannina. Secondly, it provides access to/from the Ionian Highway to the western areas of the Ioannina Prefecture as well as the eastern areas of Thesprotia Prefecture. It is a three-legged interchange planned to be configured in a “left-handed” shape.
• The Motorway Zitsas , which will serve the connection of the settlements of the Zitsa Municipality as well as the settlements of Petsali, Neochori, and Lapsista with the Ionian Highway and has a “diamond” shape.
• Motorway Karyon . It will serve the connection of the settlements Karyon, Asfakas, Petsali, as well as settlements of Central Zagori and has a “diamond” shape.
• Motorway Kalpakiou. It provides access to the Ionian Highway for the region of Konitsa and, by extension, areas of Florina – Kastoria, and will serve movements made for tourism/recreation towards Zagorochoria and the Vikos-Aoos National Park. The Motorway is configured as a two-level cloverleaf interchange with the branches located in symmetrically opposite quadrants.

Restoration of the transverse and lateral network of local roads, where required. It is envisaged the complete construction of the road network, namely:

• Earthworks
• Road Construction and Asphalt Works
• Construction of Engineering Structures (4 Bridges, 5 Overpasses, and 25 Underpasses, 1 Cut & Cover, approximately 120 small engineering structures – culverts – and 6 retaining walls.
• Drainage – sewerage works, marking – securing,
• Lighting of interchanges, all Bridges, underpasses, sections of the highway, and parking areas,
• Telecommunications infrastructure,
• Irrigation – planting works, and
• Environmental landscaping works at the designated archaeological site of Vortopou (including the construction of a shelter).

Beyond Option 1 (Motorway – Passaronos) previously mentioned, the scope of the Project includes as an Option the upgrade of the subsection Kalpaki – Kakavia, with a length of 23.11 km (Option 2), which includes:

• Vertical and lateral roads with a length of 15.8 km
• 4 new Underpasses
• 2 new Overpasses

The options

For the options in the Ioannina-Kakavia project, it is foreseen that they can be activated at any time within twenty-four (24) months from the signing of the Contract of the present contract, while the completion time of the option works will be the same as that of the main Contract.

As mentioned above, the right of options extends to an additional amount of up to €76,000,000.00 including VAT. Specifically:

Option 1: Asymmetric Node of Passaros . It will serve to connect the northern section of the Ionian Highway with the airport, the Industrial Area, and the urban complex of the city of Ioannina, and secondarily provide access to/from the Ionian Highway to the western areas of the Ioannina region and the eastern areas of the Thesprotia region. It is envisaged as a three-legged asymmetric node to be configured in the form of a “left-hand trumpet.”

Total budget: €10,000,000 (including VAT at 24%).

Option 2: Upgrade of the section Kalpaki – Kakavia, with a length of 23.11 km. Total budget: €66,000,000 (including VAT at 24%). It includes:

• Upgrade of the existing road and formation of a cross-section over a length of 23.11 km.
• Vertical and lateral roads totaling 15.8 km.
• Construction of 4 new underpasses.
• Construction of 2 new overpasses.