İzmit Bay Bridge

Osman Gazi Bridge

Izmit Bay Bridge under construction, April 2016
Coordinates 40°45′18″N 29°31′0″E / 40.75500°N 29.51667°E / 40.75500; 29.51667Coordinates: 40°45′18″N 29°31′0″E / 40.75500°N 29.51667°E / 40.75500; 29.51667
Carries 6 lanes of the Istanbul-Bursa Motorway
Crosses Izmit Bay
Locale Kocaeli, Turkey
Maintained by
  • Turkey Nömayg - Nurol, Özaltın, Makyol, Yüksel, Gocay
Characteristics
Design Suspension
Material steel, foundation structures: concrete
Total length 2,682 m (8,799 ft)[1]
Width 35.93 m (117.9 ft)[1]
Height 234.425 m (769.11 ft) (pylons)[1]
Longest span 1,550 m (5,090 ft)[1]
Clearance above 64.3 m (211 ft) x 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
History
Engineering design by Denmark COWI A/S
Construction begin 2013
Construction end August 2016
Statistics
Daily traffic approx. 35,000 vehicles per week
Toll $35[2]
Osman Gazi Bridge
Location in Turkey

The Osman Gazi Bridge aka İzmit Bay Bridge (Turkish: İzmit Körfez Köprüsü) is a suspension bridge under construction, located at the Gulf of İzmit along the eastern end of the Sea of Marmara, in close vicinity of Izmit and approximately 50 km (31 mi) southeast of Istanbul, Turkey. When completed, it will be the fourth-longest suspension bridge in the world by the length of its central span.

Project

Construction and operation of the bridge was awarded to a joint venture formed by five Turkish companies (Nurol, Özaltın, Makyol, Yüksel and Gocay) and one Italian construction company Astaldi following the international Build–operate–transfer tender that took place in April 2009.[3][4] As of 2010, the contract was signed for the project that is estimated to cost 11 billion for the entire highway from Gebze to Bursa. After the completion of the bridge, the distance between Istanbul and İzmir will shorten about 140 km (87 mi) bypassing the long-stretched Gulf of İzmit. The projected highway of 420 km (260 mi) length with the bridge will reduce the travel time between the two major cities from six-and-half hours to three-and-half hours. The construction is expected to be completed in August 2016.[5][6]

On March 30, 2013, Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan laid the groundstone for the bridge.[7]

EPC Bridge Contractor

The US$1 billion privately financed bridge, awarded to IHI Infrastructure System Co.(Japanese Contactor) on 16 July 2011 as EPC basis with FIDIC Silverbook contract. IHI which was one of the contractors of 2nd Bosphorus bridge, was also completed seismic reinforcement projects for Halic and Mecidiyekoy viaducts.

IHI subcontracted the design works to Danish engineering design firm COWI A/S. Bridge will connect the northeastern and southeastern coast of the Izmit Bay, significantly reducing regional travel time. Crossing the bay, the bridge and the connecting highway will provide three lanes of traffic in each direction. Notice to proceed was given by Nomayg to IHI on 01 January 2013 and total project duration is 37 months.

The most important dimensions are:[5][4]

The bridge will be fourth longest suspension bridge in the world.[8]

Accident at construction site

At about 15:30 local time on March 21, 2015, during the construction works at the bridge, the eastern side cable carrying the catwalk broke away from its bolted joint on the south tower, and fell into the water. Spanned in February 2015, the catwalk is needed to allow workers access to the other side of the bay. No one was harmed by the accident as work was interrupted at this section due to windy weather. Marine traffic to and from İzmit Bay was suspended following the accident for security reasons, and resumed after recovering the cable in the morning of March 23.[9][10]

Kishi Ryoichi, the 51-year-old Japanese engineer of the IHI-Itochu Consortium, who was in charge of the construction at site, committed suicide by cutting his wrist and throat with a blade knife. He was found dead at the entrance of the cemetery near his lodging in Altınova. He left a note in Japanese language saying that "This failure ends my private and professional life. This project was mine and my country's pride. No one else is responsible for this failure."[6] [10][11][12]

See also

References

External links

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