Safety barriers and traffic regulations at Potamos bridge
Potamos
25 Jan 2022
/ 19:44
CORFU. The issue will be discussed at the Regional Council meeting on Saturday.
The Ionian Islands Regional Council is expected to discuss closing the road to traffic at the Potamos bridge for safety reasons and approve traffic regulations on the provincial road in Potamos at the meeting this Saturday.
Deputy Regional Governor for Infrastructure & Technical Works Manolis Orphanoudakis made this proposal, due to the fact that the bridge is not very stable and there is still work that needs to be done to restore it. It should be reminded that the bridge had been closed following the storm last October. However, due to lack of policing, the measure was not actually being implemented and drivers crossed it illegally.
Mr. Orphanoudakis told Enimerosi that it had been requested by the Corfu Police Department to approve emergency traffic measures, but it said that, under the current provisions, it cannot issue a license for more than 48 hours.
According to Mr. Orphanoudakis, safety barriers will be placed permanently on the bridge, in order to close the bridge to traffic. People and vehicles can use the riverside road (from Solari), the Spyrou Peroulaki Rd (from the Eth. Paleokastritsa Rd), the road in Asyrmatos Potamou and the area’s municipal road network.
In the Decentralised Administration
The final approval of the proposed regulations will be granted by the Decentralised Administration of Peloponnese, Western Greece and the Ionian following a decision of the Regional Council.
“The proposed measures will apply until the completion of the repair of the Potamos bridge. However, the Decentralised Administration’s approval is a time-consuming process. Once approved, the project will be able to begin. Although the study for the repair of the Potamos bridge has been approved by the Central Archaeological Council, the Ministry’s decision is still pending in order for the project to be carried out,” said Mr. Orphanoudakis. He also added that there is the possibility to temporarily place a metal bridge, in case the stone one does not get built.
Deputy Regional Governor for Infrastructure & Technical Works Manolis Orphanoudakis made this proposal, due to the fact that the bridge is not very stable and there is still work that needs to be done to restore it. It should be reminded that the bridge had been closed following the storm last October. However, due to lack of policing, the measure was not actually being implemented and drivers crossed it illegally.
Mr. Orphanoudakis told Enimerosi that it had been requested by the Corfu Police Department to approve emergency traffic measures, but it said that, under the current provisions, it cannot issue a license for more than 48 hours.
According to Mr. Orphanoudakis, safety barriers will be placed permanently on the bridge, in order to close the bridge to traffic. People and vehicles can use the riverside road (from Solari), the Spyrou Peroulaki Rd (from the Eth. Paleokastritsa Rd), the road in Asyrmatos Potamou and the area’s municipal road network.
In the Decentralised Administration
The final approval of the proposed regulations will be granted by the Decentralised Administration of Peloponnese, Western Greece and the Ionian following a decision of the Regional Council.
“The proposed measures will apply until the completion of the repair of the Potamos bridge. However, the Decentralised Administration’s approval is a time-consuming process. Once approved, the project will be able to begin. Although the study for the repair of the Potamos bridge has been approved by the Central Archaeological Council, the Ministry’s decision is still pending in order for the project to be carried out,” said Mr. Orphanoudakis. He also added that there is the possibility to temporarily place a metal bridge, in case the stone one does not get built.
