Greek National Road 5

Greek National Road 5 (GR-5 or E05) is a highway in Western Greece. It begins 2 km south of Rio at the intersection with the GR-8/GR-9 and the A8 (Olympia Odos) motorway, which forms part of the Patras bypass; and heads north, terminating south of the city center of Ioannina. The GR-5 together with the GR-48, make part of European route E65 on which the Rio-Antirio bridge is located and are divided at Antirio and near Fragouleika.

Much of the route runs on the east side of the Ambracian Gulf, from Amfilochia to the Arta-Aitoloacarnania boundary. In the future much of the traffic that used this road will be diverted to the new A5 - Ionia Odos motorway, which has already taken over parts of the road.

History

• In the late-1990s, a slope near a tunnel located between Arta and Ioannina was devastated with a mudslide, cutting off traffic and water to the area. A few days later, the highway/route was re-opened.

The GR-5 passes through the following towns and cities, ordered from south to north:

• Rio
• Rio-Antirio bridge (toll)
• Antirio (bypasses)
• Junction of GR-48
• Missolonghi (bypasses)
• east of Aitoliko
• Fragkouleika (bypasses)
• Agrinio (junction with GR-38)
• the bridge that spans 2 km over the Achelous River NW of Agrinio
• Amfilochia (junction with GR-42)
• Menidi
• Arta (bypasses)
• junction with GR-21
• junction with the University of Ioannina
• Ioannina

See also

• Ionia Odos (motorway under construction)
• List of Greek roads