Istanbul Strait Road Crossing Project
The Istanbul Strait Road Crossing Project (also known as The Eurasia Tunnel Project) will be constructed between Kazlicesme and Goztepe along a 14.6-km route including a 5.4-km twin-deck tunnel that will cross the Bosphorus beneath the seabed, with the aim to alleviate İstanbul’s traffic pressure.
In addition to the road tunnel between Cankurtaran coast on the European side and Eyup Aksoy Junction on D100 State Highway on the Asian side, the project also includes widening of approach roads on Kennedy Street on the European coast and on D100 State Highway up to the Göztepe intersection on the Asian side as well as improvements of related junctions. Those sections of the Project that remain outside the tunnel, i.e. widened approach and improved junctions on both sides of the Bosphorus, will be transferred to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality as soon as their construction is completed.
The Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications, Directorate General of Infrastructure Investments (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Ulaştırma Bakanlığı, Demiryollar Limanlar ve Hava Meydanlari Inşaati Genel Müdürlüğü - AYGM) has assigned ATAS (Avrasya Tüneli İşletme İnşaat ve Yatırım A.Ş.) to design, build and operate for about 26 years Eurasia Tunnel Project. The tunnel will be transferred to the public authority at the end of this period.
The Eurasia Tunnel is designed to ease the present crosscontinental traffic burden providing an alternative road link to traverse the Bosphorus at about 1 km south of Marmaray, which is currently being constructed. With this new route, the journey time between Kazlicesme and Goztepe will be considerably shortened. The Project will also provide important economic benefits such as ease of transport, reduced journey times and increased safety with additional benefits such as reductions in fuel consumption as well as greenhouse gasses and other emissions and noise pollution.
The Investors
Avrasya Tüneli İşletme İnşaat ve Yatırım A.Ş. (ATAŞ) has been founded in 2010 by the partnership of Yapı Merkezi from Turkey and SK E&C from Korea, who have put their collective resources in order to build the Eurasia Tunnel. All of ATAS’s investment partners are global firms that stand out with their know-how and experience and who have taken on assignments at Eurasia Tunnel Project-scale around the world.
Similar Projects
In many parts of the world, tunnel projects are the preferred option for the urban transportation issues as they offer the safest, easiest, most environmentally sensitive solution. The proven methods and technologies as well as the safety, traffic management, control and ventilation functions of numerous tunnel projects to date are taken into consideration during the design, planning, construction and the operation of the Eurasia Tunnel.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Process
The Public Consultation Phase of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Eurasia Tunnel Project has been carried out between 7 March and 8 May 2011. Prior to this phase, the 25 muhtars of the local districts along the Project route have been visited whereby they were explained the ESIA process and discussed the most effective methods to reach out to the residents in their districts.
About 10 thousand brochures explaining the ESIA process and the probable impacts of the Project were distributed to the residences within 50 metres and to sensitive receptors within 100 metres of the Project route, and ESIA informational posters were placed at these points.
In addition, public exhibitions were organized on 18&19 March and 3&4 March at the Eminönu Public Education Center on the European side and on 25-26 March at the Mimar Sinan Hall of the Bağlarbaşı Transportation Museum and Culture Centre on the Asian side. Further, during meetings with various NGOs that are interested in the Project, their views were taken, and the mitigation measures in the ESIA Draft Report were shared.
The ESIA Report was available for public and stakeholder consultation for a 9-week period from early March to early May 2011. This consultation period has now concluded a Consultation Report has been prepared, summarising the consultation process and the main points and issues raised in the submissions received. Responses to the issues raised are also provided in this Report, which is available here
This Consultation Report does not mark the end of consultation and engagement on the Eurasia Tunnel Project: ongoing engagement during the final design and construction will be a key objective of ATAS. Further details of future public consultation can be found at the end of the Consultation Report and also in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan, published in March 2011 on this website
This Consultation Report is freely available (in both Turkish and English) on this website and hard copies can also be requested from ATAŞ by emailing esia@avrasyatuneli.com, calling the Project Hotline (0 216 700 14 14) or writing to:
Eurasia Tunnel Project ESIA Consultation
Kutadgu Consultancy
Caferağa Mahallesi,
Safa Sokak,
No:6,
Kadıköy,
Istanbul
A newspaper notice has been placed to notify the public that this Consultation Report is available at the above locations.
Copies of this document have also been sent to the Muhtars of all neighbourhoods along the Project route and can be read in their offices.
Public posters have been placed in all Muhtar offices along the project route and also on public and community notice boards to notify the public that this Consultation Report is available at the above locations.
Turkish version of Consultation Report will be published on Project Web site at the end of September 2011.
The Project's Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) is now available to download here. This ESAP is a Plan which lists the various measures and commitments identified by the sponsors, Lenders and their Technical Advisor (Arup) for achieving compliance with the Lender Group's environmental and social requirements. The ESAP provides an environmental risk management tool allowing responsibilities to be allocated, discharged and monitored throughout the lifetime of the project, in line with international performance standards.
Project Communication Material
You may download the entire presentation and brochure about the Eurasian Tunnel as a single file by clicking the link below. The document is in PDF format. You may download the necessary Adobe Reader application at this link.
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To download the ESIA Documents, please visit the relevant ESIA Documents section of this web site.
Please Give Us Your Feedback
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