Cyprus has developed a modern road network. According to 2002 statistics, the road network in the free areas of Cyprus consists of about 7.206 km of paved and 4.387 km of unpaved roads. The Public Works Department of the Ministry of Communications and Works has the responsibility for the maintenance, improvement and construction of motorways, the majority of rural and interurban road network and the main urban roads. The Municipalities are responsible for the secondary and local urban roads; the District Administration Authorities are responsible for the paved and unpaved district (tertiary) roads and village roads. The Forestry Department is responsible for the most of unpaved roads in forest areas in order to accommodate the administration and protection of forests. The Turkish invasion of 1974 radically changed the programme of road development and created new priorities in order to cover the augmented needs in the government controlled areas, where 80% of the Cyprus population and the greatest portion of development had concentrated. Under these circumstances New Road Development Schemes were promoted, which were partially financed by foreign Financing Organizations.
Under these development projects new 4 lane highways were constructed as follows: Nicosia-Limassol, Nicosia-Larnaka, Larnaka-Kofinou, Nicosia-Anthoupolis-Kokkinotrimithia, Larnaka By-Pass, Limassol-Pafos and Dekeleia-Protaras.
At the same time the improvement and upgrading of main rural and urban roads was promoted as well. The highway network is continuously developed. The first section of the Kokkinotrimithia-Astromeritis Highway between Kokkinotrimithia and Deneia is currently under construction, where as the rest is under design. Also the upgrading of the Limassol By-Pass interchanges has started, while a new Larnaka airport connecting road is under construction too.
The following are under design:
- Upgrading of the existing Nicosia-Limassol Highway to a 6 lane road between the Strovolos and Alambra Interchanges.
- Limassol port connecting road
- Pafos-Polis
Highway is promoted through the D.B.F.O. method (Design, Build, Finance, Operate). Preliminary and feasibility studies are conducted for the Nicosia Orbital Motorway, the Limassol-Saittas, Astromeritis-Evrychou and Nicosia-Klirou Highways.
Source: Press And Information Office, Republic Of Cyprus, 2005