The "Ionian Highway Extension, Section: Ioannina – Kakavia" project, with a total budget of €310 million (including two options), is an integral part of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance’s sectoral program “Transport 2021-2027,” which is financed by the NSRF 2021-2027.
This 70-kilometer extension is a key segment of the Western Axis and serves as a continuation of the Ionian Highway, connecting Ioannina to the Greek-Albanian border at Kakavia, traversing the Ioannina region. This route is considered the westernmost vertical axis of the Egnatia Motorway and forms a critical component of Greece’s Trans-European Transport Network.
The project is divided into two subsections:
Subsection 1: Ioannina – Kalpaki
This section begins at the end of the existing concession agreement and extends to the termination point of the Kalpaki Highway, covering a total length of 46.4 km of new alignment. It includes six (6) Unlevel Interchanges, with the K3 Passaronos Highway constituting Option 1, which spans 1.47 km.
Subsection 2: Kalpaki – Kakavia
This section begins at the end of the Kalpaki Highway and extends to the Kakavia border station, covering a total length of 23.11 km. It involves the upgrade of the existing road, with the improvement planned under Option 2.
This project will complete the Ionian Highway axis, which spans approximately 264 km, and will link it to the Adriatic Highway. The Adriatic Highway starts in Trieste, Italy, passes through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania, and reaches Greece at the Kakavia border crossing. The total length of the Adriatic Highway axis extends to 1,500 kilometers, continuing southward to Olympia Odos and terminating in the Tsakona area.
