Construction Of Haliç Metro Bridge Nearly Complete

The construction of the Haliç metro bridge, which will accommodate a new metro line, is in its final stages.



The İstanbul Municipality has announced that the construction project is expected to be completed in May, after which rails and lighting will be installed on the span. The Taksim-Şişhane-Unkapanı-Şehzadebaşı-Yenikapı metro line will emerge from underground in Azapkapı before crossing the new bridge over the Golden Horn. The metro will then head back underground when the line reaches the Süleymaniye hills. The total length of the bridge over water will be 460 meters. If the Unkapanı and Azapkapı viaducts are included, the bridge will be 936 meters long.



The installation of the piers began in January of last year. Special cranes were brought in to lift into place the enormous 380 to 450-ton piers, which were built in Yalova. The 800-ton capacity crane will be removed from the site after the bridge deck is in place.



Construction projects linked to the Haliç metro bridge were approved on July 6, 2005, by the Protection Council, though the approval started still-ongoing debates over how the bridge will affect the historical silhouette of the area. People working in the area of the project say that the historical cityscape there has been altered to a great extent.



(Cihan/Today's Zaman)