Attiki Odos

Course of the motorway shown in turquoise blue

Attiki Odos (Greek: Αττική Οδός) is a privately owned toll motorway in Greece. The Proastiakos high-speed suburban rail is set almost entirely in the median of the motorway, along its main section. The motorway's numbers are 6 for the main section, 64 for the Hymettus Beltway and 65 for the Aigaleo Beltway. Together they form the outer beltways of the Greater Athens metropolitan area.

History

Construction of the project began in 1996. Part of the motorway was opened along with the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to which it connects, in 2001. It started from the Gerakas interchange and led to the airport.

Highway interchange in the northern suburb of Maroussi.

In September 2002, the high-speed railway began construction, within the large median. In early 2003, Attiki Odos was opened from Kifissou Avenue Interchange (also known as National Road 1 / E75 Interchange) to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport; the Hymettus Ring was almost paved by this time, and tunnels were already complete.

Westbound to Elefsina

Attiki Odos at night

On 3 September 2003, the Hymettus Ring opened. This part of the motorway runs in the northern part of Hymettus and became the road to bypass Mesogeion Avenue and link to Kifissou Avenue and its suburbs, and the Airport along with the eastern suburbs of Athens.

On November 2003, the western part opened from the junction with GR-8 to Kifissou Avenue (GR-1/E75). It has seven interchanges in total, and runs through the mountain range of Aigaleo.

On April 2004, a small 2.5 km part opened, connecting the Hymettus Ring to the westbound direction of the main route. The high-speed railway was also opened in 2004.

Interchange at the Attiki Odos Airport Entrance

Safety

Attiki Odos is considered one of the safest motorways in Europe. It was designed under strict safety-related technical specifications, including updated hard shoulders in either direction and high quality skid-resistant asphalt pavement, dense lighting and fencing. Attiki Odos features hundreds of CCTV cameras connected to the Traffic Management Centre (TMC), which detects any incidents occurring on the motorway and informs the intervention and maintenance patrol units to provide assistance. Other sophisticated safety systems include:

• Road pavement sensors
• Carbon monoxide measurement systems installed in tunnels
• TETRA system for communication with the patrol units
• Elecronic variable message signs
• Automatic tunnel ventilation systems

Tolls

Toll stations are located at the interchanges leading to the Attiki Odos motorway and the toll fare is paid when entering the motorway. The fare is the same regardless of the length of journey but depends on vehicle category. Drivers can pay either by cash, e-pass or a special account card; for motorbikes and cars the standard toll fares are 1.30€ and 2.70€ respectively.

Road Sections

• Main Section:
  • north of Eleusis
  • between Mandra and Magoula
  • north of Aspropyrgos
  • between Kamatero and Acharnae
  • north of Neo Irakleio
  • Kifissias Avenue
  • near Vrilissia
  • Gerakas
  • east of Glyka Nera, Paeania and Markopoulo Mesogeias
  • west of Koropi
  • north of Keratea
• Hymettus Beltway:
  • Katechaki Avenue
  • east of Papagou and Agia Paraskevi
  • Glyka Nera

Interchanges

The main part (official numbering):

• (Not numbered) - GR-8A
• 1 - Mandra
• 2 - Magoula
• 3 - (space reserved for future intersection)
• 4 - Aspropyrgos
• 5 - Aigaleo Beltway
• 5a - Aigaleo Beltway South
• 6 - Filis Avenue
• 7 - Dimokratias Avenue S of Acharnae (also known as Menidi)
• 8 - Kifissou Avenue/GR-1/E75 (Piraeus-Lamia)
• 9 - Herakliou Avenue
• 10A/B - Kimis Avenue
• 11 - Kifissias Avenue
• 12 - Pendelis Avenue
• 13 - Doukissis Plakentias Avenue and Hymmetus(Ymittos) Beltway
• 14 - Anthousa
• 15 - Marathonos Avenue (which is the continuation of Messoghion Avenue)
• 16/Y7 - Leontario (intersects with Hymettus(Ymittos) Beltway)
• 17 - Kantza
• 18 - Peania
• 19 - (space reserved for future intersection)
• 20 - Markopoulo Mesogaias/Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport

Markopoulo to Eleftherios Venizelos Intl. Airport:

• K1 (20A) - Attiki Odos
• K2 (20B) - local road (North Koropi)

Hymmetus(Ymittos) Beltway:

• Y1 - Katehaki Avenue
• Y2 - Papagou
• Y3 - Dimokritos
• Y4 - Agia Paraskevi
• Y5 - (space reserved for future intersection)
• Y6 - Glyka Nera
• Y7/16 - Leontario (see above)
• Y8 - Pallini

Future expansion to the port of Rafina is under construction, passing through the area of Pikermi.

Sections

The brackets are non-state highway numbers.

• Attiki Odos (6) - 47 km
  • SE of Markopoulo to Eleftherios Venizelos - 4 km
  • Hymettus/Ymittos Beltway - 12 km
  • Aigaleo Beltway (65) - 8 km, partly under construction as of 2006.

Expansion

On October 21, 2005 a new expansion plan was proposed. 76 km of motorway will be constructed, bringing the total length to 141 km. Extensions will be constructed towards Rafina, Lavrio and Vouliagmeni. The Hymettus Beltway will also be extended southwards to Vouliagmeni. Construction is estimated to start in 2009, as the final plans were announced to be complete in late May 2008.

External links

• The official website of Attiki Odos S.A.
• Previous projects on Attiki Odos