| The privatization of Turkey's highways and | | | | ago, and since then much debate has revolved |
| bridges will not be completed until the route | | | | around this plan. The government floated the |
| of a new bridge to be constructed over the | | | | proposal because the current bridges are |
| Bosporus has been definitively determined, | | | | working beyond their normal capacity, whereas |
| sources close to the Privatization | | | | opponents claim the city's current |
| Administration (ÖİB) said. According | | | | infrastructure cannot support a third bridge. |
| to the sources, who spoke on condition of | | | | The Bosporus Bridge has a capacity of 120,000 |
| anonymity, the ÖİB asked the General | | | | vehicles per day, and the second bridge may |
| Directorate of Highways (KGM) to clarify the | | | | technically allow 160,000 vehicles to pass |
| route of the new bridge and the roads | | | | over it. However, more than 200,000 motorists |
| connecting it to main arteries as soon as | | | | cross each of the bridges daily, and this |
| possible since any delay in this issue could | | | | situation becomes more frustrating for them |
| cause the privatizations to slow. | | | | with every passing day. Moreover, as the high |
| | | | number of cars on the bridges has become the |
| An announcement of the new bridge's route is | | | | main reason for traffic jams during rush |
| being anxiously awaited by parties interested | | | | hours, the need to construct a third bridge |
| in the privatization, since this will have a | | | | has become one of highest priority items in |
| direct impact on the amount of their initial | | | | the government's agenda for İstanbul. |
| bids. If the bridge is constructed between | | | | |
| the two existing bridges -- the Bosporus | | | | No more speculation |
| Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet (FSM) | | | | |
| Bridge -- it will attract much of the traffic | | | | Clarification of the new route will put an |
| of these two bridges, providing much higher | | | | end to land speculation as well. Some people |
| revenues for its operator. But if the bridge | | | | in the real estate business were devising |
| is built north of the FSM, between | | | | alternative routes for the third bridge to |
| İstanbul's Sarıyer and Beykoz | | | | manipulate real estate prices in those areas. |
| districts, only a small number of vehicles | | | | From time to time in the last four years, |
| will opt to pass over it, with the result | | | | rumors over the following six alternate |
| that traffic will not decrease dramatically | | | | routes have emerged: |
| on the Bosporus and FSM bridges. | | | | Nakkaştepe-Ortaköy, |
| | | | Vaniköy-Arnavutköy, |
| To summarize, in the first alternative the | | | | Çubuklu-Yeniköy, Beykoz-Kireçburnu, |
| value of and privatization revenue from the | | | | Yuşatepesi-Rumelikavağı and |
| existing bridges will fall significantly | | | | Garipçe-Poyrazköy. |
| whereas the third bridge will bring in larger | | | | |
| sums. For the latter option, however, the | | | | The route will be determined depending on a |
| third bridge will not yield a good value but | | | | number of parameters. It has to offer an |
| the state will earn larger revenue from the | | | | effective solution to the traffic problem |
| sale of the other two bridges. Considering | | | | without causing distress to the environment |
| the drastic effect the new route will have, | | | | and historical texture of the city. Cost is |
| domestic and foreign companies bidding on the | | | | another important factor. Five foreign |
| operation of the highways and bridges in | | | | companies have so far declared interest in |
| March 2008 also want more clarification about | | | | the sale of the bridges and highways. These |
| the new route. | | | | are Macquarie Infrastructure of Australia, |
| | | | Abertis from Spain, the Portuguese Brisa, |
| The plan to construct a third bridge was | | | | Itochu Corp. of Japan and Atlantia SpA from |
| first announced by the government four years | | | | Italy. |