The A1 motorway, locally referred to as the Nicosia–Limassol highway, is the first and longest motorway in Cyprus. It marked the beginning of an ambitious project to link the main cities of Cyprus with a modern four-lane motorway. The A1 is long, and is free of any at-grade intersections. It links the capital Nicosia, the administrative and financial hub, with Limassol, the second largest city and largest port on the island.

Major Junctions

No. Region Main Road Connections Other Connections1 Strovolos E101 , Stavrou2 Strovolos n/a3 Latsia n/a Phillipou Papakyprianou4 Latsia n/a Archiepiskopou Kyprianou5 Latsia n/a Megalou Alexandrou6 Agios Konstantinos n/a 7Daytona Racewayn/aE120 , Lefkosias8Nisou E1029 Pera Chorio E10310 Mosfiloti n/a E10411 Kornos n/a E14312 Kofinou n/a 13 Skarinou n/a E14314 Choirokoita n/a15 Zygi E106 , E10716 Mari E10717 Governor's Beach n/a18 Pentakomo F11919 Moni n/a20 Parekklisia n/a E10921 Agios Tychonas n/a Georgiou Griva Digeni , Orinsilou22 Agios Tychonas n/a F127 , Ariadnis23Germasogeia n/a F128 , Spyrou Kyprianou24Agios Athanasios n/a Ayiou Athanasiou25Mesa Geitonia n/a F131 , Archiepiskopou Makariou III , Kartesiou26 Kapsalos n/a E11027 Mesa Geitonia n/a Dominitas Lanitis Avenue28 Mesa Geitonia n/a Vasileios Kostantinou29 Kapsalos / n/a30 Kato Polemidia n/a Omonias , Theodorou Potamianou , Kyrillou Loukareos31 Panagia Evangelistria n/a Nikaias

History

Construction started on the A1 to connect Nicosia with the new main port of Cyprus at Limassol in 1978. Construction started at both ends concurrently. Initially many junctions were at-grade. Although reconstruction at the Nicosia end has obliterated any evidence of this, old filter lanes remain at junction 17.

The motorway was opened in stages, with the final stage (Kornos to Kophinou) completed in October 1984, while upgrades within Limassol were completed in summer 2008. These upgrades included the Polemidia and Troödos junction, Agia Filaxis Junction, Agios Athanasios junction, Linopetra junction, and Germasogeia junction, and involved the creation of many flyovers to remove all at-grade intersections.

Beginning in 2012, the section of motorway between the entrance of Nicosia and the intersection with the A2 was upgraded to six lanes.

See also Roads and motorways in Cyprus

References