After a 26-year wait and delays of more than a year, the third phase of the Larnaca-Dhekelia coastal road has opened to traffic.
The upgraded section, extending from the Larnaca Nautical Club to the Pyla boundary, is expected to improve road safety, ease travel and support further tourism and investment in the Oroklini area.
Four lanes and new infrastructure
The project, costing €14.8 million plus VAT, covers 3.2 kilometres of the main road network and 4.5 kilometres of service roads.
The new road features four traffic lanes, a central reservation, new pavements, cycle paths, bus stops, green areas and roadside parking. Four roundabouts and 22 Pelican pedestrian crossings were also constructed to improve safety.
Work began in September 2022 and was initially scheduled for completion in March 2025. However, following a revised timetable, the main project was completed in July 2026.
Larnaca Public Works Department District Engineer Lazaros Lazarou said the entire main road network up to the Pyla roundabout had been open since July 24.
Work remains on the service roads, which were added to the project at a later stage. They are expected to be completed by the end of October, when landscaping work will also begin.
Expected to support development
Lazarou said the delays were considered justified and that there had been no contractual disputes with the contractor.
He described the upgraded road as an important driver of development for the Oroklini-Pyla tourism area, improving road safety while strengthening its investment prospects.
Larnaca Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Nakis Antoniou welcomed the completion of a long-standing demand for the city. He said the service roads must now be completed so the project can be considered fully finished and the area no longer resembles a construction site.
Local tourism board President Dinos Lefkaritis also welcomed the opening, expressing hope that the remaining landscaping work would be completed soon.
He said the road upgrade significantly strengthens Larnaca’s tourism zone at a time when the city is recording increased visitor numbers and continuing its rapid development.
Pyla phase remains on hold
The fourth phase, which would extend the upgrade through Pyla’s tourism area, is not expected to move forward for at least the next few years.
As a result, the section passing the area’s luxury hotels will remain in its present form, with only two traffic lanes.
