Athens-Thessaloniki highway opens for cars, vehicles up to 3.5 tons

The flooded part of Athens-Thessaloniki highway opened again to traffic at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, September 15 and thus for private cars and vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons.

The flooded part of the highway was closed to traffic since Saturday, September 9, 2023.

Traffic will be conducted from the left lane in both directions of the part between “Today at 17:00, the section of the Aegean Motorway, between Sykouri Motorway and Gyrtoni Motorway, the highway managing company Aegean Motorway said.

The highway part of Athens-thessaloniki which was blocked due to the overflowing of the Pinios River, is open to traffic in both directions, with the agreement of the competent bodies and the Hellenic Police, the company added.

For heavy vehicles, there will be another announcement at a later time based on the evolution of the flooding phenomenon and the possibility of completing checks on the body of the road, which remains flooded in the disputed area.”

Speaking to state-run news agency amna, spokesman of the Fire Service Giannis Artopoios said that while vehicles over 3.5 tons are not allowed until the conditions of the road surface are completely restored, he pointed out adding that Civil Protection vehicles, state vehicles of any category that provide service to the affected areas are excluded as well as vehicles over 3.5 tonnes used for the collection and transport of dead animals.

At the same time, he emphasized that in the Larissa, Karditsa, Trikala triangle, all the main roads are open.