Traffic measures at Tria Gefiria until Sunday or Monday
Tria Gefiria
04 May 2023
/ 00:59
CORFU. Manolis Orphanoudakis: The Tria Gefiria-Vrioni bypass project will be put out to tender in 2023.
Drivers using the Tria Gefiria junction will have to be patient for a few more days as pilot changes to the traffic flow of vehicles are in place. This, however, is making drivers exasperated, as in many cases adjacent roads have been blocked by the increased traffic.
The Regional Authority announced the following: "The pilot implementation of changes to the traffic flow of vehicles from and to the Tria Gefiria junction will begin from the afternoon of Saturday 29 April, in order to measure traffic and record the data to improve traffic conditions at the central junctions around the town, through a study carried out by the Ionian Islands Region. Drivers are requested to follow the new signs and the instructions of the Traffic Police".
As the Deputy Regional Governor for Technical Works and Infrastructure Manolis Orphanoudakis told Enimerosi, the measures at the Tria Gefiria junction will be implemented until Sunday or Monday, when the road will return to its normal operation. In fact, he explained that the Regional Authority will soon proceed to similar measures at another part of the Eth. Lefkimmi Rd, but the exact location has not yet been determined.
However, on Tuesday, which was the first working day of the week after May Day, the traffic measures created many problems - u-turns, roads with more traffic than usual, buses in narrow lanes, car queues and many complaints from drivers who had to show great patience to get to their destination.
Many negative comments
Drivers, even for a short distance, could not avoid the traffic jam as the roads around the Tria Gefiria junction were also blocked. Many drivers did not hesitate to express their exasperation to social media as there were many negative comments about the new traffic measures.
The Tria Gefiria- Vrioni bypass
However, the problem at this particular area is long-standing and given the increased tourist development on the island, the long-awaited project of the Tria Gefiria-Vrioni bypass came up again - a case that for decades and until today has remained nothing more than talk. The project for the construction of a new 2.8km road and three junctions, which will bypass the Tria Gefiria-Vrioni section, is mature, while a €27m funding has been secured after its inclusion in the ESPA programme by former Regional Governor Th. Galiatsatos.
Although the construction of the new road with two lanes in each direction is expected to significantly relieve the traffic on the Eth. Lefkimmi Rd from Tria Gefiria to Vrioni, especially during the summer, it has still not been put out to tender.
As Mr. Orphanoudakis explained, the final compulsory purchase tables for the section of land outwith the Land Registry have almost been completed (98%) and will be sent along with the study for approval to the new Council of Ministers that will be established after the elections, so that the project can then be put out to tender within 2023. "Of the planned €27 million for the project, €2 million are for the compulsory purchase. The tables had to be drawn up to determine the compensation. Immediately afterwards, the tables will be sent to the new Council of Ministers along with the study to declare the expropriated land and approve the project study. We are at a very good stage of maturity and the project will be tendered within the year. However, we will not have time to contract it," he explained.
The Regional Authority announced the following: "The pilot implementation of changes to the traffic flow of vehicles from and to the Tria Gefiria junction will begin from the afternoon of Saturday 29 April, in order to measure traffic and record the data to improve traffic conditions at the central junctions around the town, through a study carried out by the Ionian Islands Region. Drivers are requested to follow the new signs and the instructions of the Traffic Police".
As the Deputy Regional Governor for Technical Works and Infrastructure Manolis Orphanoudakis told Enimerosi, the measures at the Tria Gefiria junction will be implemented until Sunday or Monday, when the road will return to its normal operation. In fact, he explained that the Regional Authority will soon proceed to similar measures at another part of the Eth. Lefkimmi Rd, but the exact location has not yet been determined.
However, on Tuesday, which was the first working day of the week after May Day, the traffic measures created many problems - u-turns, roads with more traffic than usual, buses in narrow lanes, car queues and many complaints from drivers who had to show great patience to get to their destination.
Many negative comments
Drivers, even for a short distance, could not avoid the traffic jam as the roads around the Tria Gefiria junction were also blocked. Many drivers did not hesitate to express their exasperation to social media as there were many negative comments about the new traffic measures.
The Tria Gefiria- Vrioni bypass
However, the problem at this particular area is long-standing and given the increased tourist development on the island, the long-awaited project of the Tria Gefiria-Vrioni bypass came up again - a case that for decades and until today has remained nothing more than talk. The project for the construction of a new 2.8km road and three junctions, which will bypass the Tria Gefiria-Vrioni section, is mature, while a €27m funding has been secured after its inclusion in the ESPA programme by former Regional Governor Th. Galiatsatos.
Although the construction of the new road with two lanes in each direction is expected to significantly relieve the traffic on the Eth. Lefkimmi Rd from Tria Gefiria to Vrioni, especially during the summer, it has still not been put out to tender.
As Mr. Orphanoudakis explained, the final compulsory purchase tables for the section of land outwith the Land Registry have almost been completed (98%) and will be sent along with the study for approval to the new Council of Ministers that will be established after the elections, so that the project can then be put out to tender within 2023. "Of the planned €27 million for the project, €2 million are for the compulsory purchase. The tables had to be drawn up to determine the compensation. Immediately afterwards, the tables will be sent to the new Council of Ministers along with the study to declare the expropriated land and approve the project study. We are at a very good stage of maturity and the project will be tendered within the year. However, we will not have time to contract it," he explained.
