Motorway 8 (Greece)

A8 motorway
Αυτοκινητόδρομος 8
Route information
Part of E94 and E65
Maintained by Olympia Odos S.A.
Length:	215 km (134 mi)
History:	1962–1973: Constructed as National Road 8A 2008: Eleusis–Corinth section reassigned as A8 motorway Since 2008: Corinth–Rio section upgraded to dual carriageway standard
Major junctions
East end:	Eleusis East
	Eleusis interchange: to Athens airport Corinth interchange: to Kalamata
West end:	Rio interchange: to Ioannina and Patros
Location
Regions:	Attica, Peloponnese, West Greece
Major cities:	Eleusis, Corinth, Aigio
Highway system
Motorways in Greece

The Greek Motorway 8 (Greek: Αυτοκινητόδρομος 8), is a motorway in Greece, partially under construction. Part of the Olympia Odos network, the motorway connects Athens with Patras in southwestern Greece, spanning a total of 215 km (134 mi).

The motorway replaces Greek National Road 8A, which is being upgraded to modern motorway standards. The completion date was scheduled for 2014.^[1] As of 2016, the easternmost section between Corinth and Eleusis of the A8 motorway has been completed, along with the Ancient Corinth - Kiato segment, fully opened in September 2016.

Construction

Operation

Olympia Odos S.A. will maintain and operate the road for a total of 30 years. Operations will include two Traffic Control Centers built to operate 24/7 in order to handle emergency calls, as well as monitor traffic situations and contact emergency services when needed. Also included, will be 24/7 patrols, worksite protection, timely detection and response to incidents, and special services in the winter.

During the construction phase, routine maintenance and work for all parts of the infrastructure of the existing National roads will be conducted.

Facilities

As of 2012, there are 4 toll stations in the GR-8A/A8: at Eleusis, the Isthmus, Zevgolateio and Rio. The section between Eleusis and Corinth has 3 lanes per direction. There are service areas in Nea Peramos, Megara, Isthmus, Kiato, Akrata and Aigio.^[2]

Construction progress

In September 2 2016, the first fully completed Olympia Odos segment, the section between Ancient Corinth and Kiato (20 km. with 2 lanes in each direction + emergency lane and two interchanges (in Zevgolatio and Kiato), was officially opened to the traffic, with the presence of the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras.^[3] Although there are still some works of minor scale (mostly on interchanges), the segment is used normally. Also, the Derveni tunnels were opened in the same day. As of September 2016, it is speculated that the 15 km. Kiato - Xylokastro segment will be given to traffic by the end of the year. The rest of the motorway will be completed by March 2017, up to Rio, where it connects with the A5 motorway. As of September 2016, the construction progress stood at circa 80%.

Tunnels

Westbound (direction Patras)

• Geraneia Tunnel (930 m or 3,050 ft)
• Efpalinos Tunnel (1,700 m or 5,600 ft)
• Aithra Tunnel (1,160 m or 3,810 ft)
• Panagopoula Tunnel (3,160 m or 10,370 ft)

Eastbound (direction Athens)

• Panagopoula Tunnel (4,000 m or 13,000 ft)
• Derveni Tunnel (480 m or 1,570 ft)
• Skyron Tunnel (360 m or 1,180 ft)
• Thiseas Tunnel (319 m or 1,047 ft)

Exit list

Regional unit	Exit	Name[2]	Destinations	Notes
West Attica	1	Eleusis east	GR-8	Eastern terminus of the motorway
	1A	Eleusis airport
	1B	Eleusis centre
	2	Eleusis west	GR-3
	3	Eleusis interchange	A6
	4	Megara east, Nea Peramos
	5	Megara south
	6	Panorama
	7	Kineta
Corinthia	8	Agioi Theodoroi
	9	Isthmia, Epidaurus
	10	Corinth, Examilia
	11	Corinth interchange	A7
	12	Ancient Corinth
	13	Zevgolateio
	14	Kiato		End of the dual carriageway section, start of the Greek National Road 8A
		Xylokastro
		Lykoporia
		Derveni
Achaea		Akrata
		Trapeza, Kalavryta
		Nikolaiika
		Aigio east	GR-31
		Aigio west	GR-8
		Selianitika	GR-8
		Psathopyrgos
		Arachovitika
		University of Patras
		Rio interchange	A5	Western terminus of the Greek National Road 8A

References

External links

• Olympia Odos official website