Stone bridge to be built between Cunda, Lale islands off Turkey’s Ayvalık

BALIKESİR – Anadolu Agency

The construction of a bridge to connect the picturesque islands of Cunda and Lale in the Ayvalık district of the western province of Balıkesir has been inaugurated with a ceremony attended by the Ayvalık mayor and the Balıkesir mayor.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ayvalık Mayor Rahmi Genç, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said the bridge would be made of stone in order to be compatible with Ayvalık’s historical architecture, as approved by local residents in surveys.

Genç also thanked Balıkesir Mayor Ahmet Edip Uğur, from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), for the municipality’s work in constructing the bridge.

Upon completion, the bridge will be 300 meters long, 20 meters wide and six meters high, and will cost around 10 million Turkish Liras.

For his part, Uğur highlighted the importance of Balıkesir province recently switching to “metropolitan” status.

“Since the day its status was changed, the Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality has developed fast and over a short time began to make huge investments in the Balıkesir area,” he added.

Uğur also stated that they would expand the area around Turkey’s “first Bosphorus Bidge” between Lale and Cunda, with the aim of making Ayvalık “Turkey’s number one tourist destination.”

The official completion date is set as Dec. 6, but Uğur said the construction company had pledged to finish it by Oct. 29, Turkey’s national Republic Day holiday.