A new £320million road in Greece has been met with significant complaints after locals suffer from years of delays.
The flyover on a ring road in Thessaloniki has been described as a “much needed” construction, but has been met with significant protests from commuters.
The Infrastructure Ministry has rejected any possibility of suspending the project, claiming the inconvenience will be temporary while the benefits will be permanent.
Officials said the road would create an important passage for ambulances through a former military camp, with completion yet to be in sight.
Deputy Minister of Public Works Nikos Tachiaos said traffic from the construction will eventually ease within two months, but locals have had enough.
At the moment, there is a complete ban on parking on Tsimiski and Egnatia streets – the main roads that serve through traffic.
“It was expected that traffic congestion would occur. It’s just that in Athens you’ve been used to it for so many years, while in Thessaloniki it happened suddenly and people were taken by surprise, they don’t know how to manage it,” Tachiaos said.
The project is part of a package of similar road projects in Greece, all estimated to take a total of 30 years to complete. The flyover will span 8.3 miles through Thessaloniki, Pavlos Melas and Plyaia. The continuous bridge will have four lanes, including an emergency lane.
Footage from the flyover had revealed the magnitude of the traffic chaos caused by the construction, with lanes cut down to just two to allow for work to be completed.
Locals have complained of traffic jams, with fears it could continue into the summer when thousands of tourists will flock to the popular holiday destination.
There will be a total of nine interchanges, eight news bridges and three new tunnels. The work so far has caused traffic congestion for locals, with a number of diversions in place.
The project is set to be one of the biggest in Thessaloniki. It’s seen as a critical construction due to its connection to the city.
But for those commuting and using the roads, it has created a traffic nightmare, with a number of protests since its announcement. Work is now well underway, with hopes traffic will ease within the next few months.