07.02.2026 14:40
As a critical stage is reached in the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel Project, which will ease the traffic in Maslak-Levent, one of the busiest points in Istanbul, the goal is to complete the tunnel this year. When the project is realized, the travel time between Kilyos and Sarıyer, which currently takes 35 minutes, is expected to be reduced to 5 minutes.
An important milestone has been reached in the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel Project, which is expected to alleviate the traffic burden of Istanbul. The excavation works in the tunnel, which will connect Maslak and Levent to the North Marmara Motorway, are aimed to be completed this year.
"LIGHT SEEN" IN THE SARIYER-KILYOS TUNNEL
Significant progress has been made in the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel, which aims to connect Maslak and Levent, among the busiest areas of Istanbul, to the North Marmara Motorway, Istanbul Airport, and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. A ceremony was held shortly before the junction of the tunnel's endpoints.
URALOGLU: ONE OF TURKEY'S LARGEST TBMs IS BEING USED
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu emphasized the technical importance of the project in his statement at the ceremony. Uraloğlu said, "This project is a significant step where the Tunnel Boring Machine is the first and only application in road tunnels. Our road workers have achieved great success by using Turkey's third-largest TBM with a diameter of 13.65 meters."
879 PERSONNEL, 180 MACHINES ON SITE
Uraloğlu stated that the tunnel, with a total double tube length of 13,715 meters, is being constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) and TBM technology simultaneously, and announced that 879 personnel are working on site with 180 machines and equipment. He expressed that the tunnel construction works are aimed to be completed this year.
PROJECT STARTED IN 2022
The Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel, which started construction in May 2022, is being built as a four-lane and double-tube structure, with two lanes for each direction. The tunnel, which is approximately 7 kilometers long, will have a total length of 8.2 kilometers including the connecting roads.
35-MINUTE JOURNEY WILL BE REDUCED TO 5 MINUTES
With the completion of the project, it is aimed to significantly ease the access of residents in Kilyos, Demirciköy, Uskumruköy, Gümüşdere, Zekeriyaköy, and Kısırkaya to the central areas of Istanbul. It is anticipated that the travel time between Kilyos and Sarıyer, which currently takes 35 minutes, will be reduced to approximately 5 minutes with the commissioning of the tunnel.