Olympia Motorway fully completed after the operation of Rio Interchange

The last piece of the puzzle, the last pending construction project of Olympia Motorway, was completed yesterday. As it was announced by the Motorway’s operating company, Rio’s Interchaange construction project was completed according to schedule.

Rio Interchange branches to 8 different directions and will serve over 20,000 vehicles daily. It is the second largest but also the most difficult sub-project of Olympia Motorway, after the impessive Big Panagopoula Tunnel.

It is noteworthy that it is also the largest interchange of the South-Western Balkans and it is among the 3 most complex interchanges of the country after those of Faliro and Thessaloniki’s Ring Road.

It is worth mentioning that the operation of the new interchange as well as Patra’s Ring Road is toll-free, meaning that someone moving from Pyrgos or Patras to Epirus will not pay for its use. The new infrastructure also serves local destinations such as various resorts, the University and the Hospital.

The technical difficulties of the construction were particularly high, given the restrictions on the development of the project (due to the train lines, settlements, etc.).

At this specific interchange, Olympia Odos

– Connects Peloponnese with Epirus (through Rion-Antirion Bridge);

– Becomes the major passage to Western Peloponnese (to Pyrgos and Amaliada);

– Is the gate to Patras, the third largest Greek city;

Moreover, at this point the motorway crosses the new railway line, while the interchange will also incorporate the Old National Road, a significant part of which has been reconstructed.

Due to the extent, the complexity of the structure and the need to operate all of the eight directions while under construction, the local residents of Rio experienced significant and prolonged disturbance.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

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