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