A Road Older Than Its Drivers
It was meant to be a lifeline for rural Cyprus — a fast, modern road linking Nicosia to the Troodos Mountains, carrying promise and prosperity through the hills. Instead, after more than half a century, the highway has become a masterclass in Mediterranean optimism and deadline defiance.
The Nicosia–Troodos highway, first designed in 1973, was halted by the 1974 invasion and has been buried ever since under layers of bureaucracy, politics, and good intentions.
Half a Highway, Fully a Tradition
Of the four planned phases, two are complete, one is making progress, and one remains theoretical. Since the 1970s, every government has promised to “finally finish the road.”
- 1999 – Averof Neofytou: “Ready by 2004.”
- 2006 – Haris Thrassou: “Completion by 2011.”
- 2014 – New optimism, new delay.
- 2023 – Revised projection: 2025.
- 2025 – If all goes well, it may be 2026.
After fifty years of hope and press conferences, the highway now qualifies as a cultural monument to eternal construction.
The October 2025 Promise
During his November visit to the Astromeritis–Eurichou worksite, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeadis assured reporters that the €75 million project “is progressing according to plan” and will be finished by October 2025 — though “depending on the availability of concrete.”
“It’s a very large and impressive project,” he said, “and our goal is to connect mountain communities to Nicosia for quick access to work, education, and healthcare.”
The minister praised the contractor’s efforts to “recover delays from the concrete strike,” adding optimistically:
“I hope they make it.”
In Cyprus, that counts as a project milestone.
Deadlines, the National Pastime
According to the Ministry, tenders for the next highway phase are expected to open in 2026, with full completion anticipated around 2028 or 2029 — thus preserving the island’s proud tradition of perpetual anticipation.
The government refers to it as “a continuing commitment.” Everyone else calls it “same story, next minister.”
Even Brussels has adjusted expectations, quietly moving the highway from the “infrastructure” category to the “long-term cultural achievement” list.
The Road to Someday
In the 1970s, nearly 60 percent of Cypriots lived in rural areas. Now, barely a third do — and many wonder who exactly the highway will serve when it finally arrives. But perhaps that’s the point. The Nicosia–Troodos road is no longer just about transportation. It’s about heritage — the heritage of never quite finishing what you start.
As one local driver put it, “The day they open it, I’ll drive the full length — twice — just to believe it exists.”
Until then, the highway stands as a living testament to Greek delay and missed-deadline traditions — alive, asphalted, and thriving in Cyprus.
