What do the Alps and Mount Olympus have in common apart from snowy peaks? Since 2017, tunnels have carved through the rock, slashing journey times and improving road safety. Greece’s project took a long time to be realized but EU funding ultimately made it all possible.
The conclusion of the Tempi project in April 2017, now the largest highway in the Balkans boasting three twin tunnels, means the 503 km journey from Athens to Thessaloniki is 45-75 minutes shorter than before, meaning the trip can be made in just over four hours.
Its construction cost nearly €1.5 billion, with half the money coming from Structural and Cohesion Funds, which supported the project with a grant of €699 million.
EU co-financing applied to the construction of the Evangelismos – Skotina section (24.7 km), along with the upgrade of the existing sections (204 km) of the PATHE axis through the Operational Programme ‘Improvement of Accessibility’ 2007-2013.
Its completion resulted in a drop in road accident dangers by 30% per year – this is about 50 accidents a year – in one specific area.
Read full article at euractiv
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