By Ashley Karen
According to Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, there has been a significant increase in the number of vehicles using the Eurasia Tunnel lately.
In fact, on April 22, 2023, the maximum daily number of vehicles reached 85,491, which is quite impressive.
The Minister also mentioned that the state is planning to switch to revenue sharing in the Eurasia Tunnel shortly. It’s worth noting that the opposition’s attempts to discredit the guarantee fee for highways and bridges seem to have failed, as these massive works were constructed without any financial support from the state and are now starting to pay off.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu recently inspected the Eurasia Tunnel, one of Turkey’s most important projects, and received a briefing from the authorities. It was revealed that the traffic density in the tunnel has been increasing day by day, and the number of guaranteed vehicle passages has been exceeded.
Minister Uraloğlu expressed his concern: “The Eurasia Tunnel has a daily guarantee of 70 thousand 574 vehicles. In the past period, the number of vehicles using the Eurasia Tunnel exceeded 74 thousand per day, according to the September average. On April 22, 2023, the maximum daily number of vehicles reached 85.491.”
He added: “Our state will switch to revenue sharing in the Eurasia Tunnel, whose traffic guarantee is 70 thousand 574 vehicles per day, within a few years.”
In recent months, the daily vehicle numbers on the Izmir highway and Osmangazi Bridge have exceeded the guaranteed amounts set by the state. This is great news for Turkey, as it indicates that they will benefit from these impressive infrastructure projects without spending any money from the Treasury coffers for passenger guarantees. As the pandemic continues to recede, it can be predicted that these numbers will increase even more.
Minister Uraloğlu has highlighted the many impressive achievements of the Eurasia Tunnel, which has opened up a new era in the world tunneling industry. This project has achieved many firsts successfully, and its features are truly remarkable.
Uraloğlu claimed: “Seismic bracelets were used in the Eurasia Tunnel, whose deepest point is 106,4 meters below sea level, to increase earthquake resistance. In this way, the tunnel was built in such a way that its ‘service conditions’ against an earthquake that may occur once in 500 years and its security conditions against an earthquake that may occur once in 2 years will not be compromised. We also instantly observe its behavior against possible earthquakes.”
He continued: “With the installed system, it is constantly monitored with 500 accelerometers throughout the tunnel, 12 displacement sensors that monitor in three dimensions, and 21 accelerometers installed in the business buildings.”
It is essential to mention that the traffic flow in the Eurasia Tunnel is monitored 24/7 by operators working in the control room, which has been made possible by employing smart road technologies that guarantee a safe and healthy traffic flow.
The SCADA System has designed necessary protection plans for all potential emergencies, prioritizing the “people first” principle. All systems in the tunnel, such as energy, ventilation, lighting, traffic signs, radio announcements, and access control, work automatically in integrity.
In unusual situations, like accidents or vehicle malfunctions, more than 400 cameras and automatic event detection systems can detect them instantly.
In emergencies, expert emergency teams equipped with fire extinguishing equipment and motorcycles specially produced for the tunnel structure can intervene within two minutes as well. Rest assured, the safety and well-being of all using the Eurasia Tunnel is of the highest priority.
