İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Has Invested 3,3 Billion Lira In One Year

Even though social municipality practices in Izmir, which experienced the biggest epidemic and earthquake disaster of the century, left their mark on 2020, investments in the city did not hinder. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has taken action for historical projects that will ease transportation and traffic. Metropolitan made an investment of 2020 billion lira in 3,3 and allocated 42 percent of its total expenditures to investments.

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality undersigned important projects in 2020 to combat the coronavirus epidemic that affected the whole world and to raise the living standard of the people of Izmir, despite the heavy financial burden of the process. While the effects of the pandemic continued, an exemplary solidarity was displayed in order to heal the wounds of the disaster in Izmir, which was shaken by the earthquake on October 30th. In this period, the Metropolitan has also taken important steps to implement the city model that is resistant to crises. Minister Tunç SoyerIzmir Metropolitan Municipality, which sets an example for Turkey with its crisis municipality practices, which bear the signature of , continued its investments without interruption despite all this negative picture.

Strong financial structure

Hundreds of projects ranging from infrastructure, preservation of history and urban transformation to important environmental facilities were implemented in the city in order to enlarge the development struggle from the local, to increase prosperity and to ensure fair distribution. Important moves were made to increase the share of rail systems in public transportation. Fitch Ratings, the international credit rating agency, once again approved the AAA national rating grade, which is the highest level of investment grade of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, in 2020. Loan agreements were signed with international financial institutions for the infrastructure investments of Fahrettin Altay-Narlıdere Metro and İZSU.

The Metropolitan made an investment of 2 billion 746 million liras this year. With the investments of ESHOT, İZSU and its affiliates, the investment amount of the Metropolitan in 2020 was 3 billion 306 million TL. The investment amount of Büyükşehir, which allocates 42 percent of its total expenditures to investments, has increased by 10 percent compared to the previous year. The Metropolitan Municipality provided financial support of 31 million lira for the expropriation works and projects of the district municipalities.

Some of İzmir's prominent investments in 2020 are:

Historical projects in public transportation

•  66 percent of the manufacturing on the Fahrettin Altay-Narlıdere metro line has been completed. A 10 meter tunnel was dug. A loan of 342 million Euros has been provided for the project. The line will be put into service in 125.
• A contract was signed with the contractor firm for the construction of the 441-kilometer Çiğli Tramway, which will cost 182 million 11 thousand liras.
• The project work of the 13.3 kilometer Üçyol-Buca metro line has been completed. A loan agreement of 80 million Euros was signed for the initial financing. A construction tender is planned for January.
• The tender for the 28-kilometer-long Karabağlar-Gaziemir metro line was launched.
• One-third of the fleet is renewed, sea transport is strengthened
• With an investment of 647 million lira, a total of 364 buses, 4 of which were designed to transport disabled citizens with wheelchairs at one time, were purchased. 451 of these buses were bought by ESHOT, 435 by IZULAŞ general directorates.
• Fethi Sekin and Uğur Mumcu ferries were put into service in order to strengthen sea transportation.
• Within the scope of BİSİM, 100 singles, 70 tandem bicycles and 10 bicycle stations were put into service. 100 bicycle parking spaces were built.
• Passport Pier has been renewed.

Golden touches in traffic

• The curfews were turned into opportunities and road and infrastructure works were accelerated. 1 million 645 thousand tons of hot asphalt paving and 1 million 405 thousand square meters of key paving stone application have been completed. In order to save the agricultural land from dust, 2 million 150 thousand square meters of plain road surface coating was made.
• A new road of 29.5 kilometers was opened. A parking lot for 894 cars was built. Connection to Food Market from Mürselpaşa Boulevard side road, Bayraklı The traffic was relieved by making arrangements in Soğukkuyu, Konak Vezirağa, Ciğli Ata Sanayi and Bornova Nilüfer Street.
• With an investment of 48,7 million lira, the construction of 2 viaducts, 2 highway underpasses and 1 overpass that will provide a connection between Buca and İzmir bus station without entering the city traffic has started. A tender will be held in the new year for the completion of the tunnel construction.
• In Menemen Seyrekköy Neighborhood, a highway bridge was built on the İZBAN railway line and a connection between İzmir-Çanakkale Highway and agricultural lands was provided.

Quality of life is rising

• A transfer center to Üçkuyular and a parking lot for 824 vehicles were put into service.
• Efforts to expand the bicycle transportation network were accelerated, a new 5,7-kilometer bicycle path was built.
• The cultural center in Yesilyurt district named after Mustafa Necati, one of the iconic figures of the Republican revolution, and the underground car park with a capacity of 153 vehicles will be put into service in the new year.
• Izmir's new bus terminal project was determined by a competition.
• The construction of the Özdere Youth Center started.
• The construction of the municipal service building continues in Konak Güney District.
• Coastal Rehabilitation works to end the floods in Mavişehir continue with an investment of 38,4 million TL.
• A semi-olympic swimming pool was built in Bornova Recreation Area.
• Turkey's newest and most modern opera house is done in Mavişehir.
• Social-sports and academic facilities are being built in the former Levent Marina area, which is rented with a tender. - Torbalı and Çeşme fire brigade buildings were put into service.
• In order to create equal opportunities for children and women BayraklıMasal Houses opened in Kadifekale, Örnekköy, Buca and Tire; The number of Fairy Tales reached 6.

"Emergency Solution" for those in the back row

Emergency Solution teams were formed to identify the problems in the back neighborhoods on site and respond to their needs in a short time. In Buca and Konak, work was accelerated at 4 points determined in 58 neighborhoods. By listening to the demands of citizens and mukhtars, problems such as junction arrangement, pavement, stream cleaning, key cobblestone flooring, park arrangement, rubble waste cleaning were resolved urgently.

Environmental investments

• The capacity of the Biogas plant, which was put into service in Harmandalı, was doubled.
• Medical waste sterilization facility was put into service in Menemen.
• The number of solar-powered facilities was increased.
• Ödemiş Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility, which will convert the solid wastes of Küçük Menderes Basin into electricity, is at the stage of completion.
• The construction of the Integrated Solid Waste Management facility, which will generate electricity from the domestic wastes of Bergama, Dikili, Kınık and Aliağa districts, started.
• Blue Flag Coordination Unit in the municipality for the first time in Turkey was established. blue bayraklı The number of beaches reached 25 with a 52 percent increase.

For a city in harmony with nature

• More than 6 million plants met with the soil. 584 thousand square meters of new green space was added to the city.
• Nature-based landscape solutions supported by HORIZON 2020, the highest budget grant program of the European Union, were implemented in Peynircioğlu Creek.
• Menemen İstiklal Mahallesi and Çiğli Esentepe parks were put into service.
• Having been idle in Bornova for a while, Dr. Behçet Uz Recreation Area renovation works continue.
• In Buca, the foundation of the Orange Valley project, where the citizens of the city will meet with the soil and agriculture in an area of ​​200 thousand square meters, was laid.
• Within the coastal regulation project Karşıyaka the beach has taken on a brand new face.
• Within the scope of the project to include Gediz Delta in the UNESCO World Heritage list, work has started to transform Mavişehir beach into Flamingo Nature Park.
• The construction of the Sasalı Climate-Sensitive Agriculture, Education and Research Institute, where the society will be informed about future drought due to climate change and the correct methods in agriculture will be explained with application greenhouses, has started.
• The Conservation Development Plan, which was prepared with the aim of protecting Kültürpark by developing its natural texture and carrying it to the future in line with its mission in the city memory, was submitted to the approval of the Metropolitan Municipality Council.
• The Meles Stream and its immediate surroundings were planned as a natural life corridor, and the design competition was concluded.
• Planting of aromatic plants continues to transform Kadifekale into an urban forest.
• In Bornova Gökdere, the foundation of a green-oriented, European-standard rehabilitation and adoption center for street animals was laid, half of the construction was completed.

Turkey examples of urban transformation model

• Within the scope of the urban transformation works carried out on-site and with a hundred percent reconciliation model, the construction of the 436nd phase, which includes 40 residences and 2 workplaces in Uzundere, was completed and started to be delivered to the beneficiaries.
• While the construction of 130 residences and 13 workplaces were completed and delivered to the beneficiaries within the scope of the first phase of the urban transformation area of ​​Örnekköy, the site was delivered to the company for the construction of the second phase consisting of 170 flats and 20 workplaces.
• A turnkey construction protocol was signed between İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZBETON for the construction of the third and fourth stage consisting of one thousand independent sections in the urban transformation area of ​​Örnekköy.
• The site was delivered to the contractor firm in the first phase, where 120 independent sections are located in an area of ​​200 thousand square meters in the urban transformation area of ​​the Aegean District.
• Preparations started for the first phase of the urban transformation project of Gaziemir Aktepe, Emrez neighborhoods. Reconciliation talks continue with the rights holders.
• While reconciliation talks continue with the right holders in Ballıkuyu, reconciliation negotiations will begin in Gültepe.

History stands up

• Infrastructure work was focused on to raise the historical Kemeraltı bazaar. With an investment of 27 million lira, Kemeraltı Bracing Infrastructure project continues.
• With an investment of 153.7 million lira, the tender of the 2nd Stage project, which includes the infrastructure, superstructure and lighting works of Kemeraltı, has been completed and the construction will begin.
• The infrastructure of Havra Street and 848th streets was renewed; superstructure works continue.
• With the Nif (Olympos) Mountain excavation in Torbalı, the number of excavations supported by the Metropolitan this year has increased to 13 and the amount of support has increased to 6,7 million lira.
• Izmir Metropolitan Municipality continues its restoration works in the 161-year-old Paterson Mansion, one of the important examples of civil architecture in the city.
• The historical building in Pazaryeri, one of the old quarters of the city, was restored.
• Carfi Mansion in Tilkilik, one of the well-established districts of Izmir, is being restored with restoration and reconstruction works. The pavilion will be opened in 2021 under the name of "Carfi Information and Culture House".
• Restoration of Beydağ Castle Walls and Kaleiçi structures have been completed.
• The historical Yıldız Cinema and Bıçakçı Han were purchased and restoration works were started to make this region the favorite culture and art center of the city.