Intensive work on Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, access roads ongoing

Along with the completion of the laying of asphalt pavement, the end is near for the 116-kilometer access roads connecting Istanbul's third Bosporus bridge, the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, which has been under construction since May 29, 2013.

Viaducts are a critical piece of the highway, built as a part of the third Bosporus Bridge and the North Marmara Highway, since a 13.5-kilometer long section of the highway is passed over by viaducts.

As part of the project, 56 out of 64 viaducts have been completed and made ready for transportation, some of them extending 85 meters high. The studies suggest that all the viaducts in the European side have been completed, while work on eight viaducts on the Asian side continues. One of the two tunnels for the Third Bosporus Bridge and North Marmara Project is nearing completion. The last stages of the tunnel construction - asphalt pavement and electro-mechanic - were initiated.

The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge - part of the North Marmara Highway Project - will be one of the world's widest bridges when it opens for use on Aug. 26. It has a total of 10 lanes - eight lanes of highway and two rail lines. The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge will alleviate the TL 3 billion ($1.02 billion) in annual losses that are caused by excessive gas consumption and loss of work, due to traffic jams on the city's first and second Bosporus bridges. The bridge will cost $3 billion in total, be 59 meters wide and reach a tower height of 322 meters. The bridge, which will run 2,164 meters from end to end, stretches 1,408 meters over the Bosporus, which makes it the longest suspension bridge in the world with a rail system.