Reconstruction work on Kallipoleos in Nicosia to start after Christmas

The contract for the reconstruction of Kallipoleos avenue in Nicosia was signed on Friday between the government and Kedris Construction Ltd, with work scheduled to start immediately after the Christmas season and expected to last 18 months.
According to Transport Minister Marios Demetriades, the project was awarded for €3.25 million.
Reconstruction work will be conducted on one part of the road at a time, and at least one lane will at all times be available along the entirety of the road, while ensuring safe access for pedestrians.
The much-touted project is part of a broader plan to turn both Kallipoleos and Makariou avenue into one-way streets and create bus-lanes on Makariou.
“This project is the major priority in terms of developing the infrastructure proposed in the Nicosia Mobility Plan, finalized in 2010, but it is also a groundbreaking project for Cyprus, since it is the first time a pair of arterial roads are being turned one-way, and also bus-lanes are being created in a key avenue, thus substantially promoting public transportation,” Demetriades said.
The minister added that the project has been studied extensively with regard to its impact on traffic, and that various alternatives to road-network functionality, drivers’ safety, accessibility, environmental impact and impact on public transportation, pedestrians and cyclists were examined.
The contract includes the reconstruction of Kallipoleos avenue, Antoniou and Evgenias Theodotou streets with two traffic lanes and wide pavements on each side. It will draw utility cables underground and include rainwater administration, the construction of zebra crossings at various points, the creation of a large number of parking spots, the planting of around 200 trees and the introduction of measures preventing traffic congestion.
Planning includes the creation of a park at the intersection of Kallipoleos and Ypatias street, with trees, benches, a fountain and landscaping.
The second phase of the broader project will include turning Makariou into a one-way street, with two lanes for cars, two for public buses running in each direction and bicycle lanes.
Measures for mild traffic will be introduced to the roads connecting Kallipoleos and Makariou, the most important of which be a speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour, Demetriades said.
Both phases of the project are scheduled to be concluded at about the same time and will be co-funded by European Union funds to the tune of 85 per cent of the total cost.

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