The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey Abdulkadir Uraloglu said that over the past 23 years, 4075 new bridges with a total length of 488 kilometers have been built in the country. The total number of bridges reached 10 042, and their total length increased to 799 kilometers.
In a written statement, the minister noted that bridges play a key role in the development of the country’s road infrastructure. If the new bridges were located one after another, they would connect the tourist capital Antalya with a border crossing in Ipsal on the border with Greece, he emphasized.
According to Uralogl, thanks to the construction of Turkish bridges, it was possible not only to overcome natural obstacles, such as rivers and valleys, but also to demonstrate serious progress in the engineering sphere. Among the iconic projects, he allocated the Chanakkale -1915 bridge – the longest hanging bridge in the world with the main span of 2023 meters, as well as the Selima Yavuza bridge is the longest hanging bridge, along which the railway line is laid.
The Minister also recalled the unique project on the Menemen-Alyaga-Chandarly highway, where a special steel design was built to protect the ancient road and archaeological finds of the ancient city of Neonteikhos. This project was the first and only one kind in the world and in 2021 was awarded the Prize “Best Specialized Project of the Year” according to the version of the American National Association of Steel pipes (NCSPA).
Uraloola emphasized that Turkish bridges are recognized not only for engineering decisions, but also for international awards. So, the Osmangazi Bridge was awarded the awards of the Japanese Society of Engineers-Builders and the Ministry of Transport of Japan. The project of the bridge “Chanakkale-1915” and the Malcara-Chanakkale highway received 24 awards. The Selima Yavuza bridge and the Northern Marmara Room Gradual won a total of 10 awards, including the Awards of the International Road Federation (IRF) and the International Association of Bridges and Construction Engineering (IABSE).
“These projects not only facilitate movement, but also bring the Turkish engineering school to the world level,” the minister summed up.