Korinia Estates Agency News

The Director of the Highways Department, Aydin Kahyalar, has said that the traffic problems encountered on the main Kyrenia-Lapta road will be reduced when the new Kyrenia By-pass road comes into service. Kahyalar, who initially spoke about the different phases of the project, said that with the opening of the by-pass road, vehicles, which now pass through Kyrenia on their way to Lapta, Karaoglanoglu, Alsancak and Karsiyaka, will be able to use the new road so that the traffic congestion that has plagued the Kyrenia-Lapta route for a long time will be alleviated. This new road will be connected to the present road in the direction of Guzelyurt.
Opening at the end of 2007
Kahyalar stated that the construction of the road, that started at the beginning of 2006 and was planned to be 11km long, is ongoing with the first stage expected to be completed by the end of 2007. Yet, because of issues such as property expropriations, tree removals and infrastructure works, the construction phases have been slowed down, but as the issues are solved they will gain speed and compensate for the lost time. He said that they hope to bring the road into service at the end of 2007 as previously anticipated.
Construction of connecting roads
In reply to a question about where the new by-pass will connect with the main Kyrenia-Nicosia road, he said: “The project concerning the connection has not been prepared yet, but the Kyrenia-Nicosia traffic will not be cut during the construction phases. As care about both security and transportation comfort, we need to show the same care on this project as well. We will come up with a solution which is suitable to the current conditions and then begin the construction.”
In response to a question about the possibility of channelling traffic through Dogankoy Kahyalar said: “We are aware of the fact that Dogankoy’s roads cannot cope with the levels of traffic seen on the main Nicosia-Kyrenia road, thus we will need to find a different solution. I cannot say definitely ‘this’ or ‘that’, but most probably we will construct a release road just before the connection point and channel the traffic to that point on the new road, and commence the construction after the alternative route is completed.”
Water pipe problems
The Kyrenia Municipality, the Electricity Department, the Telephone Department, the Agriculture Department and the Department of Water Works have begun studies to facilitate the necessary changes in the infrastructure of the area. Kahyalar said that they plan to complete these changes before the construction of the connection and said that the biggest modification is required in the main water pipes for Kyrenia that pass along the main construction area. He said that studies that focus on the moving of this main water pipe, which carries almost all the water supplied to Kyrenia, to another region or to cancel this pipe and supply water through another method are continuing.
The new road has been constructed in a style for which many are not accustomed to in Northern Cyprus, but in a style that is required. It uses double tiered junctions. The lower tier will be used for vehicles travelling in the Nicosia-Lapta and Lapta-Nicosia direction as a transit pass without entering Kyrenia traffic. The upper tier will be organised as a ring with the required divisions and connections will enable people to go to their destination independent from wherever they come.
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