Nicosia is gearing up for a major overhaul, unveiling plans exceeding €100 million to tackle chronic traffic congestion and bring the city’s infrastructure into the 21st century. The capital’s outdated road network, combined with growing vehicle volumes and resident frustration, has reached a breaking point, according to Kathimerini’s Dorita Yiannakou.
The Municipality of Nicosia has submitted a slate of priority projects to President Nikos Christodoulides, hoping to secure government approval within the upcoming strategy focused on the capital’s future. Officials say these initiatives will fundamentally change mobility across Nicosia, aiming to make it safer, more sustainable, and easier to get around.
The heart of the issue lies in west Nicosia, where key roads such as Iroon, Lefkotheou, and Grigoris Afxentiou date back to the 1980s and remain narrow two-lane routes with no sidewalks, bike lanes, or flood defenses. These streets now bear the heavy burden of traffic from expanding suburbs like Kokkinotrimithia and Akaki.
Meanwhile, vital corridors leading into the city center—like Archbishop Makarios Avenue, Strovolou Street, and Limassol Avenue—are similarly ill-equipped for modern transit needs. Lacking proper junctions, bike infrastructure, and efficient bus lines, alternatives to private cars remain limited.
Even Larnaca Avenue, notorious as one of the capital’s most dangerous pedestrian zones, is falling apart. Plans for its reconstruction were shelved amid election campaign lobbying, Mayor Charalambos Prountzos revealed.
In stark terms, Prountzos warned, “Nicosia is having a heart attack.” Years of political inertia have left the city suffocating in traffic, he said, with consequences extending beyond commuter stress to deteriorating air quality—a mounting public health crisis in Cyprus.
Outdated city design compounds the problem. Roads funnel congestion toward the center, with few bypass options. Projects such as the Council of Europe, Stavrou, and Digeni Akrita roads are critical to relieving pressure but remain stuck in planning limbo.
Though the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) proposed dozens of bus lanes, only three have materialized. Resistance to bike and bus lane expansion remains a significant obstacle.
Undeterred, the municipality is reviving a long-discussed tram system proposal. Past studies suggest feasibility despite a steep €300 million price tag. Officials insist the time has come to move forward, even at political cost.
Several large-scale upgrades are already mapped out. The Ammochostou Avenue overhaul promises better connectivity for east Nicosia, easing traffic and enhancing flood defenses. Redevelopment of the SOPAZ industrial zone could open new traffic corridors linking Kaimakli, Pallouriotissa, Aglantzia, and the highway.
The much-anticipated Western Perimeter Road, with potential eastern extensions, is also high on the agenda. In sum, the municipality’s plan is bold but vital. With presidential support, these projects aim to break the city’s decades-long cycle of traffic jams, poor infrastructure, and rising health risks. The government is set to reveal its official strategy for Nicosia on Monday.
