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A NEW ERA OF TRANSPORTATION TO AYDER: ÇAMLIHEMŞIN TUNNEL WAS OPENED TO TRAFFIC

The Çamlıhemşin Tunnel Section which provides access to Ayder Plateau Rize's tourism center, was opened to traffic at a ceremony, attended by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Director General of Highways Ahmet Gülşen.

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Speaking at the opening ceremony Minister Uraloğlu stated that they had opened a 2-kilometer section of the road to traffic, including the Çamlıhemşin Tunnel and the Fırtına Stream, Hala Steam-1 Bridges, “In the last 20 years, we rebuilt to Türkiye with the highway infrastructure investments. We constructed high-standart road across every part of our country. We increased our divided road network from 6,101 kilometers in 2002 to 30,120 kilometers today. We increased our motorway network to 3,796 kilometers. We are also continuing to upgrade road standards along the east-west and north-south corridors that we have identified as the main routes with high traffic volumes across our country." He noted.

“Overcoming challenging terrain with tunnels and bridges"

Uraloğlu stated that they have made transportation safer and more comfortable by overcoming high mountains and deep valleys in challenging terrain with bridges and tunnels, adding: “Over the past 24 years, we have constructed 4,272 new bridges with a total length of 519 kilometers. This has brought the total number of bridges in our country to 10,239, with their total length reaching 830 kilometers. While only 50 kilometers of tunnels had been constructed in 80 years, we increased this figure nearly 17-fold, bringing the total tunnel length to 878 kilometers. If we were to connect these bridges and tunnels end to end, they would cover a distance longer than the route from Rize to Sofia via Edirne. These tunnels and bridges are lifelines carrying production, trade, tourism, employment and unity, breathing life into Türkiye's development story, bringing hope for our nation's future and prosperity to our region. Today, in line with this vision, we are proud to open the Çamlıhemşin Tunnel and a 2-kilometer road section in Rize, the pearl of the Eastern Black Sea, making the route to the world-famous Ayder Plateau safer and more comfortable."

Access to Ayder to Become Easier With New Tunnels And Bridges

Minister Uraloğlu stated that the Çamlıhemşin Tunnel was constructed as part of the Ardeşen-Çamlıhemşin-Ayder Provincial Road Project, and noted: “Our 36.5-kilometers project starts at the Pazar–Ardeşen junction of the Black Sea Coastal Road, passes through Çamlıhemşin district center and ends in the Ayder area. We are constructing the first 5.5-kilometer section as a divided road with a bituminous hot mix asphalt pavement, while the remaining section is being constructed with climbing lanes and a 12-meter-wide road platform. The project includes three single-tube tunnels with a total length of 3,670 meters: the 955-meter Çamlıhemşin Tunnel, which we are opening today, the 2,265-meter Hala Tunnel and the 450-meter Hala-2 Tunnel. It also includes five bridges with a total length of 345 meters, including the Fırtına Stream Bridge and Hala Stream-1 Bridge, which we are also putting into service today."

Uraloğlu noted that the road branches off from the Tunca Junction at approximately the 50-kilometer and provides access to Tunca Town, while also including a 3-kilometer connection road. He added: “Thus, the total length of our project actually reaches 39.5 kilometers. In this context, we had previously opened approximately 8 kilometers of the section on the Ayder side to traffic. Today, by opening the Çamlıhemşin Tunnel, Fırtına Stream and Hala Stream-1 to traffic, we have completed a total of 10 kilometers of the project. We have also completed the excavation and lining concrete works at the Hala Tunnel. At the Hala-2 Tunnel, we have completed the excavation and support works and are continuing with the arch concrete works. We aim to complete the approximately 7-kilometer section between our Çamlıhemşin Tunnel and Ayder Plateau by the end of this year."

Annualy Saving of 772 Million Liras to be Achieved

Uraloğlu stated that the Çamlıhemşin Tunnel has relieved increasing traffic congestion on the existing road, providing faster, safer and more comfortable transportation on the route, “When our road is completed, we will shorten the existing route by 1.5 kilometers, while travel time will be reduced by 20 minutes. Thus, we will achieve annuel saving of 772 million liras including 675 million liras in time saving, 97 million liras in fuel saving. Also, by reducing by 4,800 tons carbon emmissions, we will help protect the unıque natural environment of Rize and Ayder." He noted.

The Project Aims to Contribute to the Regional Economy and Employment

Noting that the project would facilitate access from the Black Sea coast to inland areas and further boost the region's trade and tourism potential, Minister Uraloğlu stated, “In particular, this road will mark a major turning point for tourism throughout the region, especially for Ayder Plateau. We will significantly reduce the traffic congestion that persists throughout almost the entire year, providing our local and international tourists, as well as our fellow citizens in Rize, with a much more comfortable travel experience. It will enable tourists to reach their destinations more quickly, comfortably, and safely, allowing them to spend more time in the region. It will also contribute to the regional economy by diversifying tourism. He added that it would pave the way for increased investment in the region and the opening of new tourism facilities, thereby creating more employment opportunities." He noted.

Noting that they invested 226 billion liras in Rize's transportation and communication infrastructure over the past 24 years, Uraloğlu remarked that, “Until 2002 there were only 12-kilometers of divided road, by constructing an additional 175-kilometers, we increased the total lenght to 187-kilometers. Only 12-kilometers of roads had hot-mix asphalt pavement, we increased the total lenght to 387-kilometers. We completed many important project including the Salahra Tunnel which the people of rize had dreamed of for seventy years, Black Sea Coastal Road, The Ovit Tunnel and its Connection Roads, the Ikizdere Town Crossing, the Hurmalık-1 and Hurmalık-2 Tunnels. We are continuing work on the 16 highway project including the Handüzü Road, the Iyidere-Ikızdere, Kendirli, Güneysu Başköy Roads and Ardeşen-Çamlıhemşin-Ayder Provincial Road."

Tourism-Related Traffic Congestion to Ease

Speaking at the opening ceremony Director General of Highways Ahmet Gülşen noted that, “We are continuing work along the 36.5- kilometer route extending from the Pazar-Ardeşen junction of the Black Sea Coastal Road to Ayder via Çamlıhemşin, and putting the completed 2-kilometer Çamlıhemşin Tunnel Section into service. The road standard along the Çamlıhemşin crossing has been improved through works carried out on this section, which includes the 955-meter Çamlıhemşin Tunnel and the Fırtına Stream and Hala Stream-1 Bridges. Once the entire road is opened to traffic, it will enable safer, faster and more comfortable transportation on the route which will include a total of three tunnels and five bridges; the traffic congestion in the region caused by tourism activity will ease."