Further to the most important public project currently under construction in Piraeus, i.e., the Metro extension from Aghia Marina to Piraeus (6 stations, 7.6 Km of line), a presentation was made today to the Parliamentary Committee about the construction of the Tramway extension to the Country’s major port (Neo Phaliro – City Center – Piraeus Port). Mr. Stavros Kalogiannis, deputy Minister of Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructures, Transport and Networks and Mr. Christos Tsitouras, Chairms and Managing Director of ATTIKO METRO S.A., presented to the Committee members all aspects of this specific project, whose contract is to be signed within the coming days.
The Project is an extension of the Tramway corridor by a total length of 5.4 Km, with 12 modern stops, with a budget rising to 50 million Euros, whose starting point is the ISAP’s station at Karaiskaki football field, reaching up to Piraeus Port at the terminal stop “Akti Possidonos”.
The project’s construction is expected to start in January 2013 and be completed within 25 months. Concurrently, ATTIKO METRO S.A shall publish an international Call for Tenders for the procurement of 25 new vehicles, to support the new extension.
The daily ridership is anticipated to rise to 35,000 passengers, while the distance from Piraeus Port to the Peace & Friendship Stadium (SEF) is expected to be covered in just 8 minutes.
In the framework of the Tramway extension to Piraeus, ATTIKO METRO S.A. shall also carry out the necessary traffic interventions (conversion of various streets into one-way streets) and key redevelopment works at unbuilt central spots and squares within Piraeus Municipality, in cooperation with Piraeus Municipal Authorities. Moreover, ATTIKO METRO S.A. shall enhance the green zone along the alignment of the new extension by planting 1,200 trees and shall install a modern refuse disposal system, using underground refuse bins.
In addition to the aforementioned projects that will upgrade the center of Piraeus, the private vehicle circulation is expected to be reduced by 15,000 vehicles on a daily basis, due to the operation of the Tramway extension, leading to a respective reduction in atmospheric and sound pollution along the central road arteries of the Port.
With the completion of these projects, a major transportation junction will emerge within Piraeus, which will functionally interconnect two Metro Lines (Lines 1 & 3), the actual Port, the Suburban Railway and the Tramway, a fact that will facilitate thousands of passengers intending to travel by boat.
Nevertheless, the Tramway projects do not end here. The Ministry of Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructures, Transport and Networks and ATTIKO METRO S.A., are currently promoting the next generation of the Tramway network extensions, namely:
- Stage B extension to Kallipoli
- Stage C extension to Keratsini and Perama
- Extension to Argyroupoli (Elliniko – Depot – Argyroupoli)
- Extension from Syntagma to Egyptou Square (Pedion tou Areos)
