Mitsotakis: Kastelli Airport Will Be Operational by 2027

Crete is shaping up for significant changes in infrastructure. The VOAK highway project and the new airport in Kastelli are just the beginning. Here’s what’s happening:

• The VOAK Highway (Chania-Heraklion-Hersonissos) contract is scheduled for signing in early 2025.
• New Kastelli Airport will be ready by 2027.
• Numerous other projects for better roads, water management, and public facilities.

VOAK Highway: Progress on a Vital Route

The VOAK project is making strides. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the contract for the main section (Chania-Heraklion-Hersonissos) would be signed in the first quarter of 2025. He called it a “complex and costly project, unmatched by any other in Greece.” Construction is already underway between Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaos.

Road safety improvements are also coming. Plans include upgrades extending to Kissamos, modelled after the successful Patras-Pyrgos safety interventions. Various construction groups have been assigned sections: GEK TERNA for Chania-Hersonissos, TERNA-AKTOR for Hersonissos-Neapoli, and AKTOR for Neapoli-Agios Nikolaos.

A New Era for Kastelli Airport

Crete’s old airport is about to have a modern replacement. According to Mitsotakis, the new Kastelli Airport will be operational by 2027. However, costs have exceeded initial estimates.

Why? The PM shared a few reasons:

• Bigger Plans, Bigger Costs: The airport design needed expansion to suit future growth. Mitsotakis stated, “This isn’t an airport for the next ten years. It’s built for the next fifty.”
• New Infrastructure: Upgraded access roads and comprehensive connectivity to VOAK (Crete’s highway) have added expenses.
• Cultural Protection: Construction revealed hidden treasures, and safeguarding these archaeological finds wasn’t in the original budget.

“We’re moving forward to secure funds for Crete to gain the most modern airport in the Mediterranean,” Mitsotakis stated during yesterday’s National Strategy for Regional Development conference.

Other Infrastructure Projects in Crete

Infrastructure Minister Christos Staikouras presented a range of vital projects:

• Construction of the VOAK Highway.
• Development of Kastelli International Airport.
• Enhancements to the existing Heraklion Airport.
• Utilization of the Tavronitis River’s water resources.
• Improvements to reservoir infrastructures, including the Bramianos Dam and Gerakari irrigation networks.
• Construction of the Platy Dam.
• Restoration work on BOAK’s bridges.
• Study for Southern Rethymno’s long-awaited bypass route.
• New schools, police headquarters, and court complexes.

Beyond the modernized features, the surroundings bring a rich natural beauty synonymous with Crete. It’s a balance of progress meeting heritage and natural charm. Travellers on their way to destinations along VOAK can appreciate how tourism coexists with conservation efforts at this noteworthy site.