Marmaray Will Increase Public Transport Share to 30 Percent

Marmaray Will Increase Its Public Transport Share To 30 Percent:Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Binali YıldırımHe also made statements regarding the Marmaray and the Eurasia Tunnel. Reminding that Marmaray is a 1,5 century project, Yıldırım said:

“From time to time, there are those who claim 'Marmaray is our project' but I welcome this naturally because everybody can own the 150-year project, it's not a bad thing. But the important thing is to start and finish it. We laid the foundation in 2004, we are finishing this year. The Marmaray project is not actually a transportation project, at the same time in Turkey's history, past history, Istanbul's cultural heritage is particularly revealing a project. Before Marmaray, Istanbul had a history of 6 thousand years, now Istanbul has a history of 8500 years, it has changed its history before it is done. ”

Expressing that Marmaray will ease the transportation, which is the most important problem of Istanbul, Yıldırım emphasized that the distance between Üsküdar and Sirkeci, which takes 2 hours under Istanbul conditions, will decrease to 4 minutes thanks to the project. Yıldırım also noted that the share of public transportation in Istanbul will increase to 30 percent.

Yıldırım also mentioned the Eurasia Tunnel Project and stated that this project will be completed in 2015. Yıldırım continued as follows:

“Vehicles will pass; automobile, minibus. A large machine will excavate the tunnel. It will be pierced 5,5 kilometers. Because of the water going down 108 meters below the sea. It will unite between Sarayburnu and Haydarpaşa. This is not a publicly known project. This project is a project we have completely planned and implemented. The peculiarity of this is that 150 thousand vehicles will pass in every direction. I say for those who know Istanbul; It will take you to the tunnel from Haydarpaşa Numune Hospital from Karacaahmet, exit Yenikapı, Balıkçıhali in 3-5 minutes. However, if the same vehicle passes the first bridge, the second bridge or passes by the ship, it can reach the same points within 1 to 2 hours. In this respect, it is a project that will provide relief in traffic in Istanbul.