Environmental Protection
Client: Prefecture of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, 2nd Construction Management Department
Year: 1995
ISSUE
The purpose of the study was the environmental impact assessment study for the approval of the environmental terms for the improvement works of the National Highway of Drama-Paranesti-Xanthi. The highway included 4 sections:
Section 1: Bypass of the community Xoristi
Section 2: Bypass of the community Nikiforos
Section 3: Construction of overpass crossing with the railway in Paliabela region
Section 4: Improvement of the geometric characteristics of the existing highway in the vicinity of the community of Xamokerasa settlement
SOLUTION View of the National Highway
The traffic in all aforementioned sections was problematic because the highway was crossing populated areas and due to the accessibility problems (narrow width, crossings with railway etc.).
The project is included in the administrative boundaries of Drama Prefecture, east from the city of Drama and is extended from community Xoristi settlement to Xamokerasa settlement.
The proposed works for each highway section were the following:
• Bypass of the community Xoristi, by routing the highway across the biggest part of the existing rural roadway for a total length of 3.235m
• Bypass of community Nikiforos, by routing the highway south of the community for a total length of 4.235m
• Construction of an overpass junction (bridge) with the railway is proposed at the Paliabela area
• Improvement of the existing geometric characteristics of the highway after Xamokerasa community by widening the highway; more specifically, the improvement included the construction of a bridge-10m wide and the installation of tubular culverts with diameter 100mm
In addition, underpass crossings for animals were foreseen.
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.
BENEFIT
The study was submitted to the environmental public authority for environmental licensing and contributed to the improvement of the existing national highway of Drama-Paranesti-Xanthi.