Tender to be launched for Bosphorus bridges maintenance

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Large-scale maintenance and repair works will be carried out on the first bridge, the Bosphorus Bridge. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah Gürel

A tender for the planned repair and structural strengthening works of the two bridges across the Bosphorus will be held Sept. 25.

The tender will be open to all local and foreign companies and the bids are to be submitted to Turkey’s General Directorate of Highways until the launch of the tender.

After the contracts are finalized with the winners, the restructuring and repair works are planned to begin, lasting around 540 days. Large-scale maintenance and repair works will be carried out on the first bridge, the Bosphorus Bridge, while only small repair works will be needed for the second bridge, the FSM Bridge.

Around 236 cables will be renewed at the first bridge, which became operational in 1973, to make it stronger so as to be able to carry heavier loads. There are also plans to install new humidity inhibitors to prevent their cables from rotting.

Except in compulsory situations, the Bosphorus Bridge will not be closed to vehicles during the daytime. The lanes around the suspension cables will be closed to vehicles between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. due to ensure safety.

Three lanes on the FSM Bridge were closed to traffic in 2012 due to maintenance, making long traffic jams in Istanbul a daily occurrence. The repair work was carried out 24 hours a day in three shifts. All of the bridge’s eight lanes were closed to traffic in pairs by turns.