The new big tunnel is coming to Macedonia – Which regions will it join, when will it be ready?

The new tunnel in Macedonia is slowly taking shape, which will unite three regions, giving them a big development boost.

With fast pace it seems that its construction is progressing Kleisouras tunnelwhich is the most important part of the new provincial road on the road axis Kastoria-Ptolemaida.

A few days ago, in fact, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for Infrastructure, Nikos Tahiaos, visited it factory in the area of ​​Kastoria, where he performed an autopsy and was informed about the progress of the work.

During his autopsy at the factory, Mr. Tachiaos was accompanied by the Parliament of Kastoria Maria Antoniou, which, in a post on social media, stated – among other things:

“The construction of the Kleisoura tunnel, the most important part of the Kastoria-Ptolemaida road axis, a big workone vision for all of Western Macedonia which has been a constant demand of the residents of Kastoria and Eordaia for decades, is progressing at a rapid pace.

Upon its completion, it will unite three regions (Kastoria, Eordaia, Amyntaio) and will constitute springboard for regional developmentwhile reducing distances and increasing road safety”.

The Kleisouras tunnel is bidirectional with length 1,365 m., escape tunnel 1,383 m. and has a completion horizon of 2025.

Will have one lane in each direction 3.75 m wideis being built in the Kotouri stream section – borders of the Prefecture of Kozani, and is expected to greatly reduce the travel time from Kastoria to Ptolemaida (and vice versa).

The object of the project

The Kleisouras tunnel is part of the project related to the construction of the new Provincial Road artery, which is part of the Kastoria – Ptolemaida road axis and is located in the administrative boundaries of Regional Units of Kastoria and Florina and ends at the boundaries of the prefecture of Kozani.

The artery has length 10.3 km, with a carriageway width of 8.0 m, one traffic lane 3.75 m wide in each direction and an additional guide lane 0.25 m wide.

More specifically, the project includes:

• 4 uneven nodes
• Kleisouras tunnel, two-way 1,365m long, with an escape tunnel 1,383m, in particularly mountainous terrain
• 1 bridge (Kotouri stream), approximately 34.60m long
• 4 lower readings

The cost of the project amounts to 71.07 million euros including VAT and is financed by the Public Investment Program – co-financed part – as it is included in the Operational Program “Western Macedonia in the NSRF 2014-2020.

The Contracting Authority is Egnatia Street, while the project is being built by the company “AKTOR”, with a construction schedule of 3 years. The project was signed in October 2022.

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