A2 motorway (Greece)

(Redirected from Motorway 2 (Greece))

The A2 motorway, also known as the Egnatia Odos (Greek: Εγνατία Οδός),[1][2] is a tolled controlled-access highway in northern Greece that runs from the western port of Igoumenitsa to the eastern Greek–Turkish border at Kipoi. The entire route is part of the Greek section of the E90 road, which runs from Lisbon, Portugal in the west, and Zakho, Iraq in the east.

A2 motorway shield
A2 motorway
Αυτοκινητόδρομος 2
Egnatia Odos
Εγνατία Οδός
Route of Egnatia Odos
Route information
Part of E90
Length670 km (420 mi)
Existed2009; 15 years ago (2009)–present
Major junctions
FromIgoumenitsa
ToKipoi
Location
CountryGreece
RegionsEpirus, Macedonia, Thrace
Highway system
  • Highways in Greece

The A2 motorway runs a total of 670 km (420 mi). The megaproject began in 1994 and was completed in 2009 at a cost of €5.93 billion ($8.27 billion);[3] it was managed by the state-owned company Egnatia Odos, S.A.

Geography

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The route traverses the mountainous Greek regions of Epirus and Macedonia, crossing the Pindos and Vermio mountain ranges, which posed formidable engineering challenges. It includes 76 tunnels (with a combined length of 99 km / 61.5 miles) and 1,650 bridges. It is a limited-access highway with sophisticated electronic surveillance measures, SCADA controls for the lighting/tunnel ventilation, and advanced vehicle collision absorption measures.[4]

Part of its length, a section of about 360 km (220 mi) from Evros to Thessaloniki, parallels the ancient Roman Via Egnatia, which ran from modern Durrës in Albania to Thessaloniki and thence to Byzantium (now Istanbul, Turkey). The project has therefore been dubbed a modern Via Egnatia (in Greek, Egnatia Odos / Εγνατία Οδός). However, the parallel is not exact; the original Via Egnatia was much longer (1,120 km / 696 miles) and its western section, from Thessaloniki to the Adriatic Sea, ran much further north than the modern road.

The project has raised concerns for the survival of nearby sites of ecological and archaeological significance. The construction of the Pindos stretch (i.e. from Grevena to Ioannina) was delayed due to environmental concerns about the destruction of the habitat of the endangered brown bear. However, a new routing was proposed in 2003, and this part was completed by April 2009.

In addition to the main highway, three perpendicular auxiliary highways are under construction connecting the highway to important cities, ports and airports of Macedonia.

History

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Arachthos river bridge under construction in 2008

94 km of the motorway had been built as part of other motorways, before the official project began in 1994. Between 1997 and 2004, 393 km of motorway were built.[5] The main part of the project was completed by 30 May 2009.[6] A final bridge was opened on 10 May 2014 [7]

Exit list

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The exits of the completed sections of the A2 motorway:[8]

Notes
      Under construction
      Planned
Regional unit Exit Name Destinations Notes/Also as
Evros Kipoi-İpsala border crossing   D.110D110   E90 to   Turkey
 
eastern terminus of the A2
43 Ardani   GR-51   E85 to   Bulgaria,   Turkey
  E90
42 Alexandroupoli industrial area
  E90
41 Alexandroupoli
  E90
40 Makri
  E90
39 Mesti   GR-2 also to Sapes and Maronia
  E90
Rhodope 38 Komotini east   GR-2
Corridor IX to   Bulgaria
  E90
37 Komotini west   GR-2
  E90
36 Iasmos
  E90
Xanthi 35 Xanthi east   GR-2
  E90
34 Xanthi west
  E90
Kavala 33 Chrysoupoli
  E90
32A Perni
  E90
32 Lefki   GR-2
  E90
31 Kavala east   GR-12 Also to Drama,_Greece
  E90
30 Palio
  E90
29 Kavala west
  E90
28C Eleftheroupoli
  E90
28B Moustheni
  E90
28A GalypsosOrfani
  E90
Serres 28 Strymonas   GR-2   GR-59 to Serres, Drama,_Greece
  E90
Thessaloniki 27 Asprovalta
  E90
26 Rentina
  E90
25A Nymfopetra
  E90
25 Profitis   GR-2
  E90
24 Lagadas   A25   E79 to Serres,   Bulgaria
  E90
23B Derveni
  E90
23A Girokomeio
  E90
23/K4 Efkarpia   A24 to Thessaloniki, Nea Moudania
  E90
22/K2 Diavata   GR-2   E86 to Giannitsa, Edessa
  E90
21/K1 Kalochori   GR-1β
  E90
20 Sindos south
  E90
20A Chalastra
  E90
19 Axios   A1   E75 to   North Macedonia
  E90
18 Nea Malgara
  E90   E75
Imathia 17 Kleidi   A1   E75 to Athens
  E90
16 Alexandreia
  E90
15 Kouloura
  E90
Mesi to Naousa, Skydra
Planned
14 Veria
  E90
Kozani 13 Polymylos
  E90
12 Kozani   A27   E65 to   North Macedonia
  GR-3   E65 to Larissa
  E90
11 Kalamia   GR-20
  E90
10 Siatista east
  E90
9A Siatista west   A29 to   Albania
  E90
Grevena 9 Grevena east   GR-15
  E90
8B Grevena west   GR-15
  E90
8A Venetikos
  E90
Kipoureio   A3
Planned
8 Agia Paraskevi
  E90
Ioannina 7 Metsovo   GR-6   E92
  E90
6A PeristeriChrysovitsa
  E90   E92
6 ArachthosZagoria
  E90   E92
5A Pamvotida
  E90   E92
5 Ioannina   GR-5   E951
  E90   E92
4A Pedini   A5 to Arta, Agrinio
  E90   E92
4 Dodoni   GR-17
  E90   E92
Thesprotia 3 SelloiTyria
  E90   E92
2 NeochoriParamythia   GR-18
  E90   E92
1B Vasilikos
  E90   E92
1A IgoumenitsaLadochori
  E90   E92
1 Igoumenitsa – Lykopodi   GR-102   E55
  E90   E92
Igoumenitsa port   E90   E92   E55
ferry to Kerkyra,   Italy
 
western terminus of the A2
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Treatment of 7000 high risk sites in Greece with EIB

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In 2020, EIB and Egnatia Odos are committed to fund treatment of 7000 high risk sites in Greece.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Deliso, Chris (27 September 2010). "Driving Greece's modern ancient highway, the Egnatia Odos". BBC Travel. London: BBC. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ Ministerial Decision DOY/oik/5776/2015 (FEK AAP' 253/21.12.2015, pp. 2098–2099).
  3. ^ "The Construction of the Egnatia Motorway". Egnatia Odos, S.A. Archived from the original on August 19, 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  4. ^ Main Road Furniture Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, Main Tunnel Equipment Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Γεφύρι της Αρτας έγινε η Εγνατία οδός". TO BHMA. 24 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Το όνειρο της Εγνατίας έγινε πραγματικότητα". TO BHMA. 7 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Ολοκληρώθηκε και τυπικά η Εγνατία Οδός". ypodomes.com. Archived from the original on 2015-01-24.
  8. ^ "Aυτοκινητόδρομος (Aftokinitodromos) A2 – Eγνατια Oδóς (Egnatia Odos)". motorways-exits.com.
  9. ^ "European Investment Bank to fund treatment of 7000 high risk sites in Greece | ETSC".
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