Metios outlines history of new Kompsatos Bridge in Rhodope
The new Kompsatos Bridge in Iasmos, Rhodope, has been completed and opened to traffic, with former Eastern Macedonia and Thrace regional governor Christos Metios outlining the project’s history and defending the decisions taken during its development.
Metios, head of the New Regional Renaissance faction, said all major decisions concerning the construction of the new bridge were taken under his administration and provided a detailed timeline of the project, which began after part of the previous bridge collapsed in September 2017.
Project began after 2017 bridge collapse
Following the collapse, traffic toward Gümülcine was redirected through the old Iasmos bridge after its structural safety was assessed, while traffic toward İskeçe was routed through a newly opened exit on the Egnatia Motorway.
A prosecutor’s investigation was immediately launched to determine the causes of the collapse. According to Metios, no intervention could be made at the site until the investigation and technical studies commissioned by the prosecutor’s office had been completed.
In December 2018, a tender was published for the preparation of the project study, following preparatory work that had already begun.
The technical services examined three possible options:
- Restoring only the section of the bridge that had collapsed
- Constructing a new bridge similar to the previous structure
- Constructing a larger new bridge
Decision made to build a larger bridge
In March 2019, the contract for the study was signed with the appointed consultant. In November 2019, the three options were presented to the Regional Council, which decided, following a recommendation from the administration, to construct a larger bridge at the same location.
The consultant submitted the final design and tender documents in March 2021.
In October 2021, the construction tender was launched after €4.1 million in funding had been secured, corresponding to the project’s approved budget.
The construction contract was signed in May 2022. The new bridge is 114 meters long, built on a curve with foundations extending 15 meters into rock. Following a discount of approximately 30 percent, the final construction cost was €2.9 million.
Construction was completed in August 2026, and the bridge has now been opened to traffic.
Metios highlights timeline and cost savings
Summarizing the project, Metios said the initial prosecutor’s investigation was followed by approximately two and a half years of design and study work. He said securing funding and completing the tender process took less than a year before the construction contract was signed, while construction of the new bridge took less than four and a half years.
Metios also compared the project with the 153-meter Lissos Bridge in Arriana, another major infrastructure project in Rhodope. The design for that bridge was prepared under the administration of Aris Giannakidis and Pavlos Damianidis, while its construction contract was signed in November 2019. The bridge opened to traffic in May 2024.
The Lissos Bridge had an initial budget of €5.1 million and was ultimately completed for €2.5 million following a 50 percent tender discount.
Metios argued that the two major bridge projects demonstrate the importance of open tender procedures and transparent management of public funds, while noting that large-scale infrastructure projects require time to be completed properly.
He praised the Technical Services of Rhodope and everyone involved in the successful completion of the Kompsatos Bridge.
