Olympia Odos: studies for the extension to Tsakona to commence soon

After starting the construction of the Patra-Pyrgos highway, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is starting the studies for the “missing section” Pyrgos-Kalo Nero-Tsakona. It is the first time since 2010, when the decision of the Council of State came out that “froze” the construction of the section that passed through the Natura area in Kaiafas, that new studies are starting so that the  south-western section of Olympia Odos can be materialized and be  connected with Morea in the area of Tsakona.

Examination of a new course on the problematic section

The studies are undertaken by the concessionaire company of Olympia Odos, where it will have to proceed with alternative solutions in the Kato Samiko-Potamos Neda section, consisting of the possibility of crossing the existing National Road to the east with a tunnel through the Lapitha massif in the Kaiafa area and then with a bypass east of the city of Zacharos.

This, based on the 2007/2015 regulation of the European Commission for studies showing the viability of the road projects it finances, leads to the need for issuing a new Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) for the entire Pyrgos (Pyrgos Entrance A/K)-Alfeios axis -Kalo Nero -Tsakona. The CBA in question should be prepared with current traffic measurements as well as a new Traffic Model.

The assignment of the studies to Olympia Odos, as underlined in the decision, ensures their technical relevance to the already approved studies of the Pyrgos-Kalo Nero-Tsakona highway. After the completion of the studies in question and their approval by the Independent Engineer, the State will decide on how to carry out the works in the Pyrgos section (Pyrgos Entrance A/C) – Alfeios – Kalo Nero – Tsakona.

The length of the road that is entering the phase of new studies is about 90 kilometers, of which the “critical” ones are in the area of Zacharos, from Kato Samikos to the river Neda, on the borders of Ilia – Messinia, for a length of about 22 km, that is which froze 12 years ago the construction of the road as the environmental conditions in this section were canceled at the time.

In July the studies were given the “green light”

Let us recall that the initiation of the studies was decided last July when a meeting was held in the Prime Minister’s office under Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the participation of the Minister of Infrastructure Kostas Karamanlis, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Giorgos Karagiannis, the Minister of State Akis Skertsou and the Regional Governors of Western Greece and Peloponnese N. Farmakis and P. Nikas.

Let us remember that in the amended concession contract valid from the end of 2021, not only the Patra-Pyrgos section but also the Pyrgos-Kalo Nero-Tsakona section was rejoined to Olympia Odos. Essentially, the entire section that had been cut due to the financial crisis in 2013 returned to the concession.

The studies now have to show what projects will be needed and what the final cost will be, so that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport can seek funding from a European program and with the parallel participation of Olympia Odos (as was done with Patras-Pyrgos). According to estimates to date, the cost amounts to approximately 300 million euros.