The cogs for big public works projects from Ormenio to Crete are turning in full swing

After a decade of stagnation, which due to the economic crisis drained the project pool, in the previous three years new tenders have started, amounting to 8 billion euros, of which 3.2 billion have already been signed. New generation projects take up the baton, fueled by over 2 billion euro worth of funding from the Recovery Fund directed to green and sustainable infrastructure.

The current year is seeing construction sites in full swing all over Greece, from Line 4 of the Athens metro to the two eastern parts of the much-discussed North Road Axis of Crete. After two and a half years of negotiations and a package of three approvals from the Commission, the works for the long-suffering Patras – Pyrgos highway started at the end of March and are expected to be completed by the middle of 2025. The project will create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Large projects in Crete, Salamina

Two major new concessions, with a total budget of 2 billion euros, the Chania – Hersonissos section of North Road Axis of Crete and the underwater link from the mainland to Salamina, will be contracted until the first quarter of 2023. According to the plan, as the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Costas Karamanlis, revealed in an interview with “Vima” by that time, additional projects of more than 4 billion euros will be auctioned, exceeding even the goal of the large package of 13 billion euros.

In the next two years, infrastructure projects of more than 3.5 billion euros will have been completed. Among them, are emblematic projects that were stuck for years in a series of financial, judicial and political obstacles, such as the completion of the E65 highway from Lamia to Grevena and the endlessly ongoing work of the Aktio – Amvrakia axis, which in the coming months a large part of will be released. Also, the modernization contracts of the main railway network, which will reduce the travel time Athens – Thessaloniki by train to 3.5 hours.

The cycle of the old batch of works closes for the capital in the summer, with the delivery of the three remaining stations of the metro extension to Maniatika, Piraeus and the Municipal Theater. The extension of Line 3, with a total budget of 760m euros, will connect the country’s largest port to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, paving the way for combined transport in the Attica Basin.

The new chapter for Athens opened last year with the signing of Line 4, Alsos Veikou – Goudi, with a contract price of 1.2 billion euros. The preliminary works are in full swing in the 4 municipalities that the engraving crosses (Athinaion, Galatsi, Kaisariani, Zografou). Meanwhile, the arrival of the two TBMs (the well-known metros) in the fall will begin the construction of the main project, 12.8 km long with 15 underground stations. That is why the excavation of the wells in Alsos Veikou and Katehaki is a priority, from where they will “sink” to start the drilling. The project, which will serve 340,000 passengers daily, is expected to be completed in 2029.

The extensions on Attiki Odos

The decongestion of the Basin from the traffic burden is the big bet so that it does not become untenable in the next decade. The extensions of Attiki Odos are the protagonists. The first step was taken by bidding for the extension of Kymi Avenue to the national road at the Kalyftaki junction, 3.8 km long and with a budget of 352 million euros. The decision on the bidding method of the other extensions, ie public project, PPP or concession, is expected in the next six months. Priority is the extension of the western ring road of Ymittos to Vouliagmeni Avenue through the urban tunnel of Ilioupoli, followed by Rafina.

The archaeological work at the “Venizelou” station is progressing with the detachment of Decumanus Maximus, which traversed the heart of Thessaloniki in the 6th AD. century, to be completed, . According to the schedule, the services of the Ministry of Culture will complete their mission in May, in order to enter the final stage of completion with the goal being the end of 2023. The works on the main line, 9.6 km long with 13 stations, are in the process of completion by 85%. In the extension to Kalamaria, which will be delivered in mid-2024, they reach 84% in civil engineering projects, while the contract for the remaining electromechanical equipment has been signed.

Northern Greece in the spotlight

Ports, roads and railways are at the forefront of reviving the development role of Northern Greece. The completion of the connection of the 6th pier of Thessaloniki Port Authority with Egnatia highway and the National Road via a viaduct, around the end of 2023, corrects one of the big problems, while the railway connection of the port has already been auctioned, as well as the West Suburban roadlink. The traffic upgrade will be completed with the PPP of the modern Eastern Regional Thessaloniki highway, the well-known Flyover, with a budget of 373 million euros, which is expected to be signed within the year.

Interconnection and railways

Two more PPPs will enhance the interconnection of Northern Greece with a horizon of completion in 2026. These are Thessaloniki – Edessa, cost 419 million, and Drama – Amphipolis, about 43 km long and with a budget of 275 million euros.

The railroad will completely change the freight game. The completion of the eastern Egnatia railway, with the sections Thessaloniki – Toxotes and Alexandroupoli – Ormenio, with a total budget of 2.76 billion, will connect the ports of Thessaloniki, Nea Karvali and Alexandroupolis with the national network. The two projects, to be completed in 2028, as part of the Sea2Seaproject to connect to three Bulgarian ports, unlock a new € 1 billion financing tool.

The connection to the network of the ports of Rafina, Lavrio and the 6th pier of Thessaloniki is on track, as well as the completion of the new double railway line from Rio to the new port of Patras. The 6 big projects will be contracted in a period of 17-24 months, while the dance of traditions will start at the end of 2025.

At the same time, a large 1.2 billion project is underway to modernize and electrify existing lines. However, the overall picture will change with the activation of the large PPP for the maintenance and reorganization of the network by OSE, amounting to 1.3 billion, which will start from Northern Greece, with the first tender to be placed at the end of the year.