Environmental Protection
Client: Prefecture of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Department of Transportation works
Year: 1996
ISSUE
The purpose of the study was the environmental licensing for the upgrade of the Highway 2 Thessaloniki-Turkish border, from the entrance to community of Lagos to the boundary of Xanthi and Rodopi Prefectures (bridge over the corridor connecting Vistonida Lake and the sea).
SOLUTION Plan view of the Highway
The upgrade includes the widening of the highway and aims to the safe passage of large vehicles, in both directions, which is not feasible on the existing highway. This will result in safer traffic conditions, especially within the community, and eventually, Highway 2 will have a fixed cross-section throughout all its length.
The highway was built in 1930 and passes through residential areas. Along the highway, several highway upgrades are carried out for improving access and bypassing to the communities, due to the importance of Highway 2 which serves the national, international and local transportation needs.
The existing highway has a cross-section width of 7,00m and 0,50m wide guidance lanes and 0,10-1,00m wide foundations on both sides of the highway.
The total length of the highway section, where the upgrade works will take place, is 4.100m and is divided in two branches: the first from Station 0.00 to Station 1900 and the second from Station 1900 to Station 4100. The highway will include two traffic lanes and the average traffic velocity will be 57km/h.
The suggested works include new width of the highway of 11.00m/13.00m, minimum curve on plan view, 350m, and on profile view for concave and convex curve, 9.000m and 5.000m respectively. Further, the maximum slope on profile view is 3% and on section is 6%. Both traffic lanes have the same level without islets or central zones. Within the community, the highway section (Station 0.00 to Station 1.300) is encased with pavements and outside the community, the highway boundaries are constructed according to the permitted slope gradients of the embankments.
In the current study, the exact location for the construction of the works was identified and the existing condition of the natural and human environment was examined. Additionally, the feasibility of the works was demonstrated and a technical description of the works was performed.
Finally, the environmental impact from the construction and operation of the works was described and the mitigating actions during the construction and operation phases were provided.At the same time alternatives were examined.
BENEFIT
The study was submitted to the environmental public authority for environmental licensing of the works and contributed to the upgrade of the existing Highway 2 Thessaloniki-Turkish border, from the entrance to community of Lagos to the boundary of Xanthi and Rodopi Prefectures.