In Limassol, traffic congestion has spiralled out of control. It has become the city’s principal problem, overtaking even the pressing issues of housing shortage and high cost of living. Widely acknowledged is the fact that Limassol has taken on the characteristics of a large urban centre, witnessing rapid growth in population and movement, yet its infrastructure has not developed in step.
Each day, hundreds of thousands of residents of Limassol and beyond spend countless hours in their cars travelling short or long distances. People arrive late at work, miss appointments unexpectedly, and cannot predict how long a journey will take, even for distances that once required only minutes. The traffic problem in Limassol has now escalated to a nationwide issue: thousands commuting to and from Nicosia endure bottlenecks, and many others passing through experience the motorway gridlock as if they were in the heart of a bustling city.
No major road projects for 2026
In a city regarded as a key economic driver of the country with massive development at many levels, every passing day sees the situation worsen. Unlike Nicosia, traffic in Limassol occurs over almost the entire area and throughout the day. At the same time, there remain no reliable public transport alternatives despite growing bus usage (largely by foreign workers), the planned park‑and‑ride scheme is not operational despite signage being installed, and even large-scale infrastructure projects intended to ease the problem remain in their early planning stages.
The 2026 budget contains not a single euro for a major road project in Limassol, since the designs are still being developed and hence cannot proceed to construction. References to “smart traffic lights” have become something of a joke among Limassol residents.
Endless chaos on the highway
The greatest pressure is felt on the routes that link the city to the highway, which has effectively transformed from a fast‑flow road into an urban thoroughfare, slicing the city in two.
Talk of new shopping malls in areas already burdened by severe traffic, and the constant unveiling of large developments in a city precise to a mathematical certainty heading toward “blockage”, have left residents increasingly frustrated.
The murder of Stavros Demosthenous on Friday brought Limassol face to face with harsh reality. The motorway had to be closed for several hours, roads were blocked in Ayios Athanasios and Germasogeia for related investigations, and the police were fully mobilised to locate the perpetrators, unable to perform normal traffic duties. The result was several hours of chaos — for six to seven hours on Friday, Limassol’s roads became hell.
While citizens are rightly looking for solutions yesterday, the stark truth remains: what’s needed are years of studies and construction. At the same time, calls are mounting for a tram system to be considered, which would run independently of traffic — since buses and bus lanes are failing to win the battle.
Northern bypass
Speaking to Politis, Mayor of Limassol Yiannis Armeftis stressed that the traffic problem cannot be solved overnight.
“Past sins, procrastination, lack of ambition and poor planning brought us to where we are today - people are right to shout,” the Mayor explained. “Limassol hasn’t received funding for any major urban project in recent years simply because no project has matured enough to start. I’ve met the Transport Minister around 15 times since taking office; soon I hope we’ll have real announcements for project launches.”
A recent high‑level meeting between Limassol Municipality and the Department of Public Works placed traffic‑related projects at the top of the agenda, especially those that might be expedited to deliver maximum benefit. The Municipality has for months sought a coordinating role in the much‑awaited northern bypass scheme, aiming to coordinate all authorities and finally begin construction of a road included in Limassol’s local plan since 1990. The meeting appears promising, though the studies are still ongoing.
First section underway
Other municipalities in the wider city region are advancing their respective segments of the northern bypass, which however remain technically challenging and very expensive. Even so, each small intervention is welcome, since it may provide short‑term relief while the sections will eventually join to form a continuous arterial route.
The Evagoras Lanitis section is perhaps the easiest segment of the northern bypass. Some parts already exist as four‑lane roads. A weak spot remains a roughly 400‑metre gap where the road is interrupted by a land parcel and must be completed.
On 3 October the Limassol‑Dasoudi Water Authority submitted detailed plans for diverting the Agia Fyla stream, a huge but necessary flood‑protection measure for Limassol. Next the Public Works Department must finalise the construction plans for the road in about six months. The schedule foresees two and a half years of construction beginning, if all goes well, in late 2026. Cost is estimated at around €20 million for roughly 1,700 metres.
From its intersection with Yiannou Kranidioti Avenue westwards, the northern bypass will connect via Synergatismou Avenue. This two‑and‑a‑half kilometre route – the main corridor plus auxiliary roads – will traverse Polemidia and link to Nicosia Avenue near Limassol General Hospital. The major challenge is that much of the alignment is new, and a bridge over the Garillis stream is required, increasing cost. That segment is now in a relatively advanced stage: Polemidia Municipality, in collaboration with Public Works, has commissioned a private engineer to prepare the construction designs. It must proceed quickly as major developments are expected at the Verengaria area (including student residences of TEPAK). Tendering for construction works is scheduled for 2026. Cost will certainly exceed €25‑30 million.
Solutions being sought
Beyond the highway, which between Ayios Athanasios and Mesa Geitonia sees some 100,000 journeys daily and is the most over‑burdened point in Cyprus, two other road network hotspots have been identified where simple changes might ease congestion. These are: south of the Mesa Geitonia roundabout near the Apostle Andrew Church; and at 1st April Street in Agia Fyla north of the roundabout.
According to Politis’ sources, Public Works, following a suggestion from the Municipality, are considering interventions in both cases to “open” two additional traffic lanes, converting from two to four lanes (two in each direction) to improve flow.
Also under discussion is shifting pedestrian crossings to better locations and possibly removing roadside parking bays to free space for traffic. While local businesses may resist, the volume of the traffic problem is so great that “you cannot crack eggs without breaking some shells”.
Abandoning costly and perhaps impractical plans for an overpass bridge, the Municipality and Public Works are now looking at how to “open” a new direct access route to the motorway at the junction of Kosti Palama Street (Mesa Geitonia) and Ellis Lambeti Street (Agia Fyla). The ultimate goal is to relieve the Ayia Fyla and Mesa Geitonia roundabouts with a solution less than ideal but far more achievable and quicker to implement. The only condition is that there must be sufficient land on either side of the motorway for a new entry‑exit ramp, which appears feasible. The project is currently in modelling phase to provide final answers.