New €35.8m phase of Nicosia Perimeter Motorway announced

The Public Works Department has announced phase B3 of the Nicosia perimeter motorway, at a time when the first phase is experiencing significant delays.

According to the tender documents, phase B3 concerns the construction of a new 2,150-meter-long, four-lane motorway with a 2.60-meter wide separating raised island, between the fronts of the STEP safety parapets, the construction of a level roundabout at the Lakatamia- Defteras intersection (E902), of a bridge over the Pediaos River, two overpasses and connecting roads at the intersection with the Nicosia-Palaichori road (E903) at the entrance of the Anthoupoli settlements and restoration of the roads of the local network that are affected.

As mentioned, on the northern border the motorway ends in a deep trench on the "Manta" hill with the prospect of continuing with the construction of Phase C in the near future.

In addition to the above, the works in phase B3 include the construction of a rainwater drainage system, the undergrounding of all utilities and telecommunications providers, new facilities for the EAC high voltage transmission network, new facilities for central water supply pipelines, installation of modern road lighting at junctions, planting-landscaping, irrigation system, road markings and other related works.

The cost and when the project is expected to be completed

The estimated value of phase B3 is estimated at €35.8 million and tenders will be accepted until 11am on 20 September, 2024, while requests for clarifications and comments will be accepted until 30 August.

Based on the documents, the results of the tender are expected to be announced three months after the final date for submission of tenders, while the contract is expected to be signed one month later, if there are no objections, i.e. around the end of January 2025 to the beginning of February 2025.

As for the duration of the contract, it has been set at 36 months after the signing of the contract. Therefore, if everything goes smoothly, phase B3 is expected to be completed by the end of January to the beginning of February 2028.

The delays in the A1 phase

It is recalled that phase A1, which should have been completed within 2023, is experiencing significant delays.

According to the latest announcement by the Transport Ministry, a time extension was given until 16 June, 2024 for the completion of the works, however, due to adverse weather conditions, a request was submitted by the contractor for an additional time extension, which was approved by the Central Committee on Changes and Claims until 25 June, 2024.

"The contractor has submitted new time extension requests until 5 August, 2024 for events from 1 January, 2024 to the present (such as additional work that occurred) and for adverse weather conditions (high temperatures) from 1 March, 2024 to the present," it states and adds that the time extension requests were examined according to the legal procedures and a time extension until 15 July, 2024 was approved.

From this date onwards (as of 15 July), and until the completion/handover of the project, penalty clauses will be deducted for unjustified delay, amounting to €5,500/day.

However, according to the contractor, the perimeter motorway will be delivered in mid-August, except for a small section on Tseriou Avenue that will be delivered at a later stage and which does not affect the operation of the motorway.

(Source: InBusinessNews)