Number of Cars Crossed Third Bosphorus Bridge Less Than a Third of Guaranteed Number

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice-Chair and İstanbul MP Onursal Adıgüzel has announced the response of the Presidency's Communication Center (CİMER) to his request of figures related to the Third Bosphorus Bridge.

According to an agreement with the government, the constructors were given a guarantee that a specific number of cars will pass over the bridge every year. If the actual number of cars passed is less than the specified number in the agreement, the Treasury will make up for the loss of the companies.

The bridge was built in the northern part of the Bosphorus. (Photo: AA)

The government guaranteed that 135 thousand cars will cross the bridge daily. The number of cars crossed the bridge between September 2016 and June 2019 was 41 million 805 thousand, the CİMER said, citing the Highways General Directorate figures. Highways General Directorate figures. This means the number of actual cars crossed the bridge was less than a third of the number that was guaranteed.

While the CİMER did not state how much money was paid to the companies due to the difference between the numbers, it admitted they were paid from the budget allocation named, "Economic-Financial-Purpose Transfers," coded, 40.52.34.00-04.5.1.00-2-05.4.

How much the citizens pay to the companies?

Saying that only 30 percent of the guaranteed crossings were made, Adıgüzel remarked, "Because the response did not include the number of crossings by months, years and the types of vehicle, we can't make a certain calculation on the amount [of money] that was paid to the companies."

"Nevertheless, if we consider that 40 thousand vehicles cross the bridge daily, our citizens pay 1 million 800 thousand TRY [~314 thousand USD] every day for the 95 thousand vehicles that did not cross the bridge," he suggested.

The MP further said that the third bridge, named the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, is not preferred by drivers because it is far away from the "desire line", lengthens the time on the road and expensive.

"This clearly shows that the planning and calculations were wrong from the beginning. Daily guarantee of 135 thousand vehicles is unreachable in the current conditions," Adıgüzel remarked, adding that the bridge has neither provided a solution for the traffic jams. (TP/VK)