Aktio-Preveza Undersea Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Aktio–Preveza Undersea Tunnel is an undersea
road tunnel
across the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf
in western Greece
. It links Epirus
and the city of Preveza
on the north shore of the gulf with the cape of Aktio
(Actium) in Aetolia-Acarnania
, in Central Greece
. Completed in 2002, the tunnel is an important piece of infrastructure in a previously underdeveloped region, and greatly shortens the travel distance between the two sides of the gulf, which previously was only possible by ferry. It is the first and so far only undersea tunnel
in Greece.
The tunnel has a cross-section height of 8.6 metres and width 12.6 meters. The clearance width is 10.6 metres and clearance height is 5.4 metres. The tunnel is a dual way carriage way and includes a 4.0 metre-wide side lane and a 1.3 metre wide pedestrian sidewalk in each direction.
Undersea tunnel
An undersea tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under a body of water. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, or to provide competition for existing bridges or ferry links...
road tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
across the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf
Ambracian Gulf
The Ambracian Gulf, also known as the Gulf of Arta or the Gulf of Actium, and in some official documents as the Amvrakikos Gulf , is a gulf of the Ionian Sea in northwestern Greece. About long and wide, it is one of the largest enclosed gulfs in Greece...
in western Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It links Epirus
Epirus (periphery)
Epirus , formally the Epirus Region , is a geographical and administrative region in northwestern Greece. It borders the regions of West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands to the west and the country of Albania to the north. The...
and the city of Preveza
Preveza
Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epirus. An immersed tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium, connects the town...
on the north shore of the gulf with the cape of Aktio
Actium
Actium was the ancient name of a promontory of western Greece in northwestern Acarnania, at the mouth of the Sinus Ambracius opposite Nicopolis, built by Augustus on the north side of the strait....
(Actium) in Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest...
, in Central Greece
Central Greece
Continental Greece or Central Greece , colloquially known as Roúmeli , is a geographical region of Greece. Its territory is divided into the administrative regions of Central Greece, Attica, and part of West Greece...
. Completed in 2002, the tunnel is an important piece of infrastructure in a previously underdeveloped region, and greatly shortens the travel distance between the two sides of the gulf, which previously was only possible by ferry. It is the first and so far only undersea tunnel
Undersea tunnel
An undersea tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under a body of water. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, or to provide competition for existing bridges or ferry links...
in Greece.
Technical characteristics
The tunnel has a total length of 1570 metres and consists of:- An underwater section of total length 909 metres.
- A cut and cover section of length 509 metres on the north (Preveza) side.
- A cut and cover section of length 152 metres on the south (Aktio) side.
The tunnel has a cross-section height of 8.6 metres and width 12.6 meters. The clearance width is 10.6 metres and clearance height is 5.4 metres. The tunnel is a dual way carriage way and includes a 4.0 metre-wide side lane and a 1.3 metre wide pedestrian sidewalk in each direction.