New bridge connecting both sides of Izmit Bay in Turkey to go into operation soon
A new bridge to connect both sides of the Izmit Bay in northwestern Turkey is expected to go into operation end of May.
ERDOĞAN and DAVUTOĞLU (PM) opened the new bridge over Izmit Bay after an opening ceremony on Sunday 21st on which occasion Erdoğan delivered a speech and declared the bridge would be called Osman Gazi, named after the founder of the Ottoman Empire. Erdoğan and Davutoğlu were the first to drive on the new bridge.
It is reported that the bridge is the biggest part of the Gebze-Orhangazi-İzmir Highway Project which is expected to shorten the distance between Istanbul and İzmir by roughly 140 kilometers, as it drivers will be able to bypass the long-stretching Gulf of Izmit. The bridge was constructed on a BOT deal “build-operate-transfer model.
It is also stated that the “Gebze-Orhangazi-Izmir” Highway (including the Izmit Bay Bridge) will be 433 kilometers long and will include 384 kilometers of highway and 49 kilometers of access road.
The new highway from Istanbul to Izmir will make it possible for drivers to cover the distance between two cities in three and a half hours only.
BTT
