The long-delayed €40.8 million infrastructure project in Skaramagkas — aimed at building three grade-separated interchanges and completing the Western Peripheral Avenue of Aigaleo — has entered its final implementation phase. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Christos Dimas presented the contract before the Parliamentary Committee on Production and Commerce, describing today’s session as the last formal step before signing. Once signed, the contract will clear the way for construction to begin.
A Critical Link for Western Attica and Greater Athens
The project is widely seen as vital not only for Western Attica but for the broader traffic functionality of the Athens basin. Skaramagkas remains one of the most congested nodes in Greece’s road network. According to data presented by Minister Dimas, approximately 100,000 vehicles pass through the area daily — nearly 20,000 of them heavy trucks. This congestion affects not just commuter mobility, but also supply chains and local economic activity. Skaramagkas serves as a key corridor connecting Athens with Western Attica, the Athens–Corinth National Highway, and regional industrial and port-related operations.
Expected Traffic Improvements
Microsimulation modeling estimates that average speeds in the area will rise from 28 km/h to 47 km/h after completion. Annual time savings for users are projected to yield an economic benefit of around €10 million per year. The project will be toll-free.
Scope of Works
The physical scope includes:
- Completion of the final 1.515-kilometre stretch of the Western Peripheral Avenue of Aigaleo, extending it to the Athens–Corinth National Highway;
- Construction of the Skaramagkas semi-grade-separated interchange, linking the Western Peripheral Avenue with the national highway;
- Upgrading the existing Schisto interchange — retaining the current bridge for Schisto–Corinth traffic while building a second bridge for Athens–Schisto movement;
- Reconfiguration of traffic lanes on the Athens–Corinth National Highway between the Skaramagkas semi-interchange and the Schisto interchange;
- Construction of the Shipyards interchange on Schisto Avenue, upstream of the Skaramagkas shipyards — replacing the current signalized at-grade intersection with Palaska Street, along with associated local traffic adjustments.
Optional Add-ons Included in the Contract
The contract also includes three optional provisions: additional ramp connections at the Schisto and Shipyards interchanges; demolition and reconstruction of the existing bridge at Schisto; and development of the Aspropyrgos semi-interchange to connect the Western Peripheral Avenue with the Athens–Corinth National Highway.
The total contractual cost stands at €40.8 million (including VAT), with a defined construction period yet to be fully specified in the provided text.