The Transport Ministry is planning new road projects to deal with traffic congestion at the entrance of Nicosia (Kalispera lights) as it seeks to ease the daily inconvenience of thousands of drivers, particularly in the morning.
In a reply to a question submitted by Disy MP Anita Demetriou, Transport Minister Vasiliki Anastasiadou said the 2019 budget has provisions for two projects that will help deal with traffic congestion at the entrance of Nicosia. These are:
- The first phase of the Nicosia ring road which will link up with the Nicosia-Limassol highway. The 8 km stretch, at a cost of €62m, includes four overpasses. The project will be built in five phases.
- A link between Akadimias Avenue in Aglandjia with Athalassa Avenue at a cost of €2.5m.
Anastasiades said that with the pick-up in the economy, the ministry will be able to include other projects in the budget of the Public Works Department. Projects under study (at a cost of €150m) include:
-Construction of the Ippocratous-Argyroupoleos avenues in Strovolos and Lakatamia
– Completion/upgrade of the Spyros Kyprianou Avenue (former Troodos avenue)
– Roundabout at Stavrou at the entrance of Nicosia, south of Kalispera
– Upgrade – construction of additional roundabouts at the entrance of Nicosia such as the proposed roundabout at the junction of Spyros Kyprianou and Hadjiosif (Orphanides lights) and Hadjiosif/Stravrou and upgrading the one at the Strovolos industrial zone.
Some 33,000 vehicles enter Nicosia from the Limassol-Nicosia highway every day, according to traffic measurements. They show 50,000 vehicles use Limassol Avenue every day, while some 65,000 use the motorway on the six lanes of traffic.
During the morning rush (7 am to 8 am), more than 3000 vehicles enter Nicosia on the three lanes of the motorway.
