Nicosia arterial route closed for work on sewage network

A LARGE section of Athalassa Avenue, one of the main arterial roads in Strovolos for access in and out of Nicosia city centre, was closed to traffic yesterday for the start of work on the sewage network scheduled to end by the morning of 23 August.

During the work, Athalassa Avenue will be closed between Andreas Avraamides Street and Dasoupoleos Street, roughly a third of its total length starting nearest the junction with Limassol Avenue at the Kalispera traffic lights.

Public Works Department Head Alecos Michaelides said yesterday that the second part of August was chosen for carrying out the work because traffic is significantly lighter during this holiday period.

He added: “We have tried to concentrate the duration of the work, which originally was due to last six weeks. With a lot of persistence, we re-examined the whole schedule and managed to compress it into a two-week period.”

The Communication & Works Ministry duly announced on Friday that the work would run in two consecutive phases from 17 August to 29 August, but following a meeting yesterday between the Public Works Department, the Nicosia Sewage Board and the private contractor, it was agreed to work around the clock in order to have the whole job completed by 6.00am on Sunday 23 August.

Michaelides said that every effort was made to leave at least one lane open for traffic along Athalassa Avenue for the two weeks originally scheduled for the work, but when it became clear that this would not be possible for technical reasons, the decision was taken to minimise disruption to traffic by doubling up the contractor’s shifts.

During the work, traffic will be diverted via Andreas Dimitriou Street, Dasoupoleos Street and Amfipoleos Street. However, Michaelides urged motorists who usually come into Nicosia from the south-east on Limassol Avenue to use the cut-through to Stavrou Avenue just before the Kalispera lights, which was opened some months ago.

Michaelides said that similar work scheduled to be carried out in mid-September on Limassol Avenue – the main route in and out of Nicosia to the east of the city – will need to be programmed to minimise disruption to daytime traffic. Work will therefore most likely take place in the evenings and nighttimes, with the road being re-opened in time for the morning rush-hour.

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