The Bridge of Symbols “1915 Çanakkale”

With special permission from the General Directorate of Highways affiliated with the Ministry of Transportation, I had the opportunity to visit and explore the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge.

During my visit, I examined many details of the bridge on-site. As of now, the construction of the bridge is almost 92% complete.

Together with a large team, we climbed up to the 318-meter tower and saw the latest updates on the decks, walked on the catwalk, and examined all the details from the approach viaduct.

On the construction site, I saw the women working in various areas from offices to the tower. It made me very happy to see women working on one of the world’s best projects. Later, I met with female engineers and learned detailed information about the project.

Why is the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge important ?

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which will connect Asia and Europe over the Çanakkale Strait for the first time, has become one of the leading bridge projects in the world in terms of technical specifications and design.

As the opening date approaches, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge is considered one of the most important steps towards improving Turkey’s highways throughout the country as part of the 2023 Master Plan.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which is of historical importance to Turkey, will be realized as a historical project in a historical location on the 107th anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory, which is also one of the turning points in Turkish history. Currently under construction between the Lapseki and Gelibolu districts of Çanakkale and attracting attention as one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge is also considered an important project for providing direct connections between Asia and Europe.

The idea of connecting these two continents via Çanakkale first emerged in 1984–1989. The bridge project came back to the agenda in 1994, and the first tender was launched in 1995. However, the winning bidder among the 18 companies that participated in the tender withdrew from the project, stating that such a bridge could not be built.

After these setbacks, on March 3, 2016, the then Minister of Transportation, Maritime Affairs, and Communications, Binali Yıldırım, announced the start of the tender process for the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge project. On March 18, 2017, the foundations of the bridge were laid, and the historical project began.

Countdown begins for the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge

Excitement continues to build for the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge. After intensive work since 2017, the project is nearing completion. While the asphalt paving of the roadway continues, technical checks on other elements of the bridge are also ongoing.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which will allow the crossing of the Çanakkale Strait in a short amount of time, will begin operation on the 107th anniversary of the great victory of a nation at Çanakkale, where an epic battle was fought.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which is set to open on March 18, 2022, on the 107th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign, is a project that has gained significant global interest, as it connects the continents of Asia and Europe over the Çanakkale Sea and is one of the world’s most important suspension bridges.

With a central span of 2023 meters, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge will be the world’s longest suspension bridge with a central span. Its foundation was laid by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 18, 2017, and after the active involvement of nearly 5,000 workers in round-the-clock shifts, construction is finally nearing completion.

Every detail of the bridge’s construction has been designed with a direct connection to the Gallipoli Campaign. The height of the tower, which is 318 meters tall, represents the 18 March Gallipoli victory, one of the most important steps towards Turkish independence.

The 2023-meter central span symbolizes the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The tower and its connecting elements were designed in red and white.

Additionally, the upper part of the tower, which is 318 meters high, representing the 18th of March, also symbolizes Seyit Onbaşı, one of the most important heroes of the Gallipoli Campaign, and the cannonball he fired. The Çanakkale Strait will be crossed in just 6 minutes!

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, built over the sea between Gelibolu and Lapseki, will allow the Çanakkale Strait to be crossed in a short amount of time, just six minutes. As the world’s longest suspension bridge with a central span, it will connect the two continents through Çanakkale. The bridge is not only important for Turkey but also serves as a vital part of the global trade route stretching from Beijing to London.

1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Highway Project is not just about the suspension bridge. The project includes 1 suspension bridge, 2 approach viaducts, 4 reinforced concrete viaducts, 6 underpasses, 38 overpasses, 5 bridges, 43 underpasses, 115 culverts, 12 junctions, 4 service facilities, 2 maintenance and operation centers, and 6 toll collection stations.

The project aims to reduce the costs of import and export, and largely prevent delays in commercial activities as it enables passage in a short time of only 6 minutes.

The project, which provides continuous employment throughout the entire process from construction to operation, is preparing to contribute significantly to the Turkish economy. Asia and Europe are coming together again over the sea.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge will unite the continents of Asia and Europe for the 4th time and for the 6th time overall. The bridge, built between Gelibolu and Lapseki, will have a central span of 2023 meters, making it the world’s longest suspension bridge with a central span.

The tower of the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge is located at -45 meters on the Asian side and -37 meters on the European side of the sea bed.

The project was prepared taking into account the challenging wind and earthquake conditions while connecting two continents with the bridge. It draws attention with its high resistance against natural disasters of this kind.

Due to the high wind speed in the region, an orthotropic twin-box section steel deck with a 9-meter median strip gap and a total width of 45 meters is used.

All the remarkable details of the design succeed in achieving many firsts in the world. The bridge, which has a total length of 3563 meters with 770 meters of edge spans, is located in an important position with its 365 and 680-meter approach viaducts and a total crossing length of 4608 meters.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which has a 3-lane bidirectional road, also has pedestrian paths for maintenance and repair works. 1915 Çanakkale Bridge ranks 1st in the world.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which has the highest tower of a suspension bridge in the world, also draws attention as the longest suspension bridge with a central span in the world.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which ranks 1st in the world in the list of the longest suspension bridges with central spans, has also surpassed the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan.

Among the bridges ranked according to their central spans, Turkey has two bridges within the top 10 in the world. In this ranking that includes the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Osmangazi Bridge, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, with a central span of 2023 meters, occupies a very important place for Turkey in the first place.

The “One Belt One Road” project is being implemented!

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, considered one of the most important steps of Turkey’s 2023 vision, will be an important part of the improvement of highways throughout the country.