The fate of the big competition is decided in the fifth round

Hybrid model fees and traffic characteristics vehiclesAnd technical difficulties due to the large number of spending and repeated interventions tourism The complexes in the areas through which they pass are three of the points of interest for the federations that are preparing to make binding financial offers for the main part of Northern Road Hub of Crete (BOAK) on May 8th. If there is no new extension, two bids are waiting on the construction market for the Kissamos Chania – Hersonissos section, the most “commercial” part of BOAK. It seems that one of the schemes was created under the consortium Mytilineos – AKTOR franchises and the second scheme under the GEK TERNA group.

Given the political weight given to the implementation of BOAK, which today is one of the deadliest roads in the country, there will certainly be candidates. But participation will be limited because for several months the candidates have objected to some parts of the tender document for the project, whose budget is close to 1.75 billion euros, without finally making the changes they want. The first point relates to the so-called hybrid tolls where the toll stations are expected to work but there will also be a parallel system with a transceiver that will be connected to the number plate of a specific car. So a driver using that part of a BOAK would either be able to pay at the toll stations (which would be relatively limited), or go through with the transceiver and pay afterwards.

In other words, transponders will be allowed to be used that will not be electronic wallets like those currently used on other roads and drivers will “fill” them with money that is removed each time they pass through an automated toll station. This means, according to the candidates, that the franchisor bears all the traffic risks because he has to look for those on alert who pass the Kissamos – Hersonissos section of BOAK with a transceiver but then do not pay. Especially in the more touristy part of the country it becomes difficult to find drivers with rental cars, etc. The issue of hybrid fees was raised from the outset, without being eventually changed by the Ministry of Infrastructure.

But also the characteristics of vehicular traffic in Crete, a large part of which relates to local movements around large urban centres, does not give candidates the necessary insight into income. One hope, of course, is that with the new, safer features, there will be more drivers willing to make the commute from Chania to Agios Nikolaos. Today movements from Chania to Agios Nikolaos are only 1% of movements …

The second point of interest for the candidates for the concession of the 157-kilometre road axis is the fact that there are necessarily a large number of urban congestion reduction tunnels created in the intervening years from the initial construction of the road until today. Thus, about 34 kilometers of tunnels are planned, which increases the technical risks for the concessionaire. If we add the continuous interventions of large tourist complexes in the areas through which the road axis passes, the situation becomes more complicated. In the past two months, the environmental impact study has been changed twice due to last-minute changes in the technical characteristics of the road hub to include diversions and to settle problems with tourist complexes.

The second section, from Hersonissos to Neapolis, is being implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP) with GEK TERNA – AKTOR concessions – Intrakat joint venture as contractor. The contract states that the contractor will undertake the management of the entire section from Hersonissos to Agios Nikolaos, with a length of 36.5 kilometers. The estimated cost of this department is close to 360 million euros. The construction of the Neapolis – Agios Nikolaos division has already been assigned to AKTOR.