Brakes on road project plans

Construction groups’ proposals for new projects (mostly highways) are increasing, but the Ministry of Infrastructure is expressing strong reservations.

The officials at the ministry view the addition of other large infrastructure projects unfavorably, given that the construction industry is already called upon to implement the largest construction program of the last decades, amounting to more than 15 billion euros. The interested construction groups, which seem to have embraced the new institution of maturation and tendering of projects, are proposing, in the first phase, projects that concern a large part of the population (and therefore also have a significant social and economic benefit), focusing on easing the traffic problems in Athens.

The standard proposals of the manufacturers concern projects with a budget of more than €1.5 billion. Standing out among them are the extension of the Attiki Odos highway to Rafina and Lavrio, and the Ilioupoli Tunnel that will connect the Western Ymittos highway with Vouliagmenis Avenue. These two projects operate in combination, given the burden on the road network from the Elliniko development.