Minister Karaismailoğlu Examined the Sazlıdere Bridge

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoğlu examined the Sazlıdere Bridge Construction Site, which will provide transportation between Başakşehir-Kayaşehir-Bahçeşehir, which is under construction within the scope of the Canal Istanbul Project.

Making a statement after the examinations, Karaismailoğlu said, “Canal Istanbul will fulfill an important task in creating a sustainable new generation transportation system. 204 scientists took part in engineering studies. With Kanal Istanbul, Turkey's role in maritime transport will be strengthened; The Black Sea will turn into a trade lake. Our country will get a larger share of international transportation and logistics corridors and play a more active role in global trade. Istanbul Airport, Northern Marmara Highway, commercial ports, railway connections, logistics bases and Kanal Istanbul, one of the biggest projects in the world, will connect the world to Turkey.

Reminding that they started the construction of the Northern Marmara Highway, including the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, in 2013, Karaismailoğlu said that the Odayeri-Paşaköy, Kınalı-Odayeri and Kurtköy-Akyazı sections were completed in stages at various times. Explaining that a vehicle entering from Kınalı can travel 400 kilometers through Istanbul, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Kocaeli, Sakarya and reach Akyazı without leaving the highway, Minister of Transport Karaismailoğlu made the following assessments:

“We opened the section between Hasdal-Habipler-Başakşehir Junction, which includes the Cebeci Tunnel, which is the longest highway tunnel in Istanbul with a length of 4005 meters and the widest highway tunnel in Turkey with 4 lanes, on May 21, 2021, and connected it to the Habipler Junction and the Old Edirne Asfaltı Street. We have integrated Arnavutköy in the north, Sultangazi and Gaziosmanpaşa in the south, Hasdal Junction and the existing 2nd Ring Road in Alibeyköy-Hasdal locality. We facilitated the transportation of vehicles coming from the direction of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge by using the 2nd Ring Road to Sultangazi, Arnavutköy, Başakşehir, Kayaşehir and Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospitals and İkitelli OIZ region, which are densely populated areas of Istanbul. We created a fast, comfortable and safe new transportation alternative between Hasdal Junction, which has the highest traffic volume of the 2nd Ring Road, and Mahmutbey West Junction. We prevented fuel and time losses caused by waiting in traffic, especially by avoiding long vehicle queues during rush hour.”

GROWING AND DEVELOPING EVERY DAY, ISTANBUL'S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ARE INCREASING

On the other hand, Minister of Transport, Karaismailoğlu, emphasizing that the transportation needs of Istanbul, which is growing and developing day by day, are increasing, “In order to respond to Istanbul's transportation needs with a planned approach; We included Başakşehir, Ispartakule and Hadımköy sections of the Northern Marmara Motorway. The total length of the Northern Marmara Motorway will reach 45 kilometers with the 445 kilometer Başakşehir-Ispartakule-Hadımköy-Nakkaş section. On the Başakşehir-Bahçeşehir-Hadımköy Nakkaş road, which we examined on the Northern Marmara Motorway; We will provide a direct connection via Hasdal-Habipler – Başakşehir Junction. We will have created a new transportation axis in the east-west direction between settlements such as Başakşehir- Kayaşehir- Ispartakule- Bahçeşehir-Hadımköy and the industrial zones in this vicinity. Thus, the heavy traffic at Mahmutbey Junction, the point with the heaviest traffic in Istanbul, will be relieved quite a bit.”

CONNECTION TO ISTANBUL-EDIRNE HIGHWAY WILL BE PROVIDED

Noting that the drivers entering from Hasdal will be uninterruptedly reintegrated with the Northern Marmara highway in Hadımköy over the Alibeyköy-Habibler-Başakşehir-Sazlıbosna Canal Bridge-Bahçeşehir (Ispartakule), Karaismailoğlu said, “Within the Başakşehir-Hadımköy Section, there is 1 Tense Inclined Bridge, namely the Channel. There are 7 art structures in total, including Istanbul Sazlıdere Bridge, 15 viaducts, 21 bridges, 10 overpasses, 59 underpasses, and 113 culverts. In addition, 1 Bridge Maintenance Operation Center and 1 Highway Maintenance Operation Center will be built within the scope of the project.

Karaismailoğlu, who also gave information about the Başakşehir-Bahçeşehir-Hadımköy section, continued as follows:

“The Northern Marmara Highway, whose construction was completed before, starts from the Nakkaş Junction and passes through the Canal Istanbul Sazlıdere Bridge, from the south of the Sazlıdere Dam, after the north of Yeşilbayır and Deliklikaya settlements in the east. The highway route provides transportation to the Olympic Stadium, Kayaşehir and Çam Sakura City Hospital via the City Hospital Junction. After crossing the Başakşehir Water Valley with a specially constructed bridge, it ends by connecting to the Başakşehir Junction of the Northern Marmara Motorway. In addition, a connection will be provided to the TEM (O-3) Istanbul-Edirne Highway in Karaağaç and Ispartakule regions.”

WE ARE PREPARING THE OPERATING PLANS OF KANAL ISTANBUL

Underlining that the most important structure of the Başakşehir-Hadımköy section is the Canal Istanbul Sazlıdere Bridge, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Karaismailoğlu said that the bridge was built as a stretched inclined suspension type and long span. Karaismailoğlu stated that the bridge was designed with 2×4 lanes and a deck width of 46 meters.

“The bridge, which has a middle span of 440 meters and a side span of 210 meters, has two towers with a height of 196 meters in diamond geometry. Sazlıdere Bridge, which is 860 meters long with its middle and two side spans, will have a span of 1618 meters together with the approach viaducts. The construction works of both our highway and our bridge continue by gaining speed with each passing day. Our Bridge, which provides the passage of Sazlıdere Dam, also has the feature of being the first bridge built within the scope of Kanal Istanbul. Our second step in Kanal Istanbul is another transportation pass; Halkalı-The starting part of the Kapikule High Speed ​​​​Train line, Halkalı- We are also starting the high-speed train section between Ispartakule. We will lay the foundation here in the near future. While we implement the necessary structures of Kanal Istanbul one by one within the plan and program, on the other hand, we are preparing the operation plans of Kanal Istanbul by taking the opinions of our sector stakeholders.”

CHANNEL ISTANBUL IS A STRATEGIC MOVE

Karaismailoğlu said, “We are opening the door to a new era in the transportation sector and maritime field with Kanal Istanbul” and continued his speech as follows:

“Kanal Istanbul is a strategic move that emerged in line with the technological and economic developments in the world and in our country, changing economic trends and the increasing needs of our country in terms of transportation infrastructures. Channel Istanbul, Turkey's vision project in every aspect from security to trade, from life to environment, will be put into service of our country as an alternative waterway in Marmara, the locomotive of the Eurasian region. When all the waterways in the world are examined, there is no other waterway that passes through the dense population like the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus is getting more dangerous every year in terms of the risks posed by ship traffic. The annual number of ship crossings, which was 100-3 thousand 4 years ago, has increased to over 40 thousand today. The average waiting time in the Bosphorus is approximately 14,5 hours for each ship. This period can sometimes take 3-4 days or even a week depending on the ship traffic and weather conditions and sometimes depending on the accident or malfunction. That's why there are hundreds of ships waiting to pass through the strait in the Sea of ​​Marmara every day. In this framework, the planning of an alternative transit corridor to the Bosphorus has become mandatory and the Kanal Istanbul Project has been implemented.”

THEY ARE TRYING TO BUILD A WALL IN FRONT OF TURKEY

Underlining that Turkey is extremely advantageous in terms of its location, considering the importance of the concept of time in world trade, Minister of Transport Karaismailoğlu said that they used this advantage in the most correct way. Pointing out that the Kanal Istanbul Project is an international transportation and regional development project beyond daily discussions, Minister of Transport Karaismailoğlu said:

“We told this fact about Kanal Istanbul to the whole world at the 12th Transport and Communication Council we held in October. We shared with all the facts how important Kanal Istanbul is for Turkey as well as for all countries using the Turkish Straits. They understood the importance of this project, but unfortunately, those in our country's opposition did not. Or they don't want to understand. They are trying to build a wall in front of Turkey, which is developing, getting stronger and having a say in the world. We have done the right things for our country so far, and we will do it again. On the one hand, we, who see service to the public as a service to the right, and on the other hand, those who want to drag Turkey into the whirlpool of failure with unqualified cadres. On the one hand, we, with the support and will of our people, produce projects that will carry Turkey into the future and achieve its goals, and on the other hand, those who threaten those who undersign these successful projects and investors. On the one hand, we, who strive to save Canal Istanbul and the Bosphorus from all kinds of disasters, on the other hand, write letters to the ambassadors of foreign countries, who have no say in this matter, disregarding the safety of the lives of the Bosphorus and the millions around it. However, they should know very well that while we are working hard for our country, we do not value daily polemics. Of course, our nation sees very well those who bring the water and those who break the jug.”

Karaismailoğlu said, “Each of our investments, together with the employment under construction, when completed and put into service, adds vitality to the economy of the region and the country, together with many sectors.”

Karaismailoğlu, Minister of Transport, concluded his words by saying, "We will continue to establish a transportation and communication infrastructure that is sensitive to people, the environment and history, with the principles of transparency, participation and sharing, focused on regional and global integration."