The new bridge over the Dardanelles in Turkey is 99 percent complete and is expected to be officially opened on March 18th, the Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Construction began in March 2018 with a budget of 2.3 billion euros ($2.6 billion).
The final works on the bridge are currently being carried out, which with its unique construction will be the longest suspension bridge in the world.
The price for crossing the bridge will be below 15 euros, said the director of Limak Holding Ebru Yozdemir, noting that this is set in the company’s contract with the authorities.
According to her, the project was completed at a cost of 3.1 billion euros, which is about one hundred million higher than expected. As she pointed out, this is due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in raw material prices.
The bridge over the Dardanelles, which will connect Europe and Asia in Canakkale County, will provide a road link between the two coasts, currently provided by ferries.
It is expected to open on March 18, the 108th anniversary of the Ottoman army’s victory in the main battle of the Gallipoli operation against Entente forces during World War I (Çanakkale Naval Victory).
The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge will become the world’s longest midspan suspension bridge with a 2,023-meter (6,637-feet) span between its towers, which are painted red and white to reflect the colors of the Turkish flag.
The giant structure will be connected to the Malkara-Çanakkale Highway and will be the most important part of the 101-kilometer (62.75-mile) route. When the entire Kınalı-Tekirdağ-Çanakkale-Savaştepe Highway Project is linked to the Gebze-İzmir Highway, a highway chain will be formed around the Marmara Sea. Home to nearly one-third of Turkey’s population, the eponymous region includes major industrial and commercial hubs.
