The recent earthquake in Istanbul has once again made evacuation plans to be implemented in the event of a major disaster one of the most important agenda items. The 23 magnitude earthquake that occurred on April 6,2rd affected especially major bridges and highways and 'Marmara Highway Ring' The strategic importance of the transportation network called the 'Ring Ring' has been highlighted once again. The vital role of the bridges and viaducts on this ring, which is at the center of the evacuation scenarios prepared by the Ministry of Transport, is emphasized.
“Marmara Highway Ring”: The Lifeblood of Evacuation
In the current situation 947 kilometers The 'Marmara Highway Ring', which is 30 km long, is being built with ongoing projects. 1295 to kilometers It is aimed to reach. This extensive transportation network will play a key role in evacuations from Istanbul and the Marmara Region to other safe areas in the event of a major disaster scenario. The Ring supports logistics flow by connecting important cities such as Istanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Yalova, Bursa, Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Manisa and İzmir, which are the industrial and economic heart of Türkiye, with a safe and uninterrupted transportation network. It also eases the traffic load within the city by shifting Istanbul's heavy transit traffic to the southern axis.
The Critical Role of Bridges in Evacuation Scenarios
According to the news in the Hürriyet newspaper, the Northern Marmara Highway, the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, the Osmangazi Bridge and especially the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge are considered the most critical and strategic points of this huge transportation network. These engineering marvels will serve as Istanbul's safe evacuation lines in the event of a possible disaster. In the detailed evacuation scenarios of the Ministry of Transportation, these bridges and the connected highways stand out as basic and indispensable elements.
Especially 1915 Canakkale Bridge, has the capacity to significantly speed up evacuation operations in the western part of Istanbul. Northern Marmara Motorway The Istanbul-Izmir Highway and the TEM Highway will ensure that the heavy traffic flow that may occur after the earthquake is directed uninterruptedly to the Ankara and Izmir directions thanks to its vital connections. The main crossing points of the evacuation routes will be the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Osmangazi Bridge, 1915 Çanakkale Bridge as well as the existing Bosphorus bridges Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and 15 July Martyrs Bridge. With this strong infrastructure, it is aimed to create and operate safe and fast evacuation corridors in the event of a possible major disaster. The first checks carried out after the earthquake have also provided important data showing that these critical structures have high resistance to earthquakes.
Seismic Analysis and Reinforcement Studies in Bridges and Viaducts
In order to maximize the earthquake resistance of bridges and highways in Istanbul, comprehensive seismic analyses were carried out on different earthquake scenarios (145, 475, 975 and 2 year recurrence periods). As a result of these detailed analyses, all load-bearing elements of the bridges, starting from their foundation systems, were designed and constructed in the most resistant way against possible earthquake loads. The total of the bridges under the responsibility of the Highways Regional Directorate, including the Bosphorus bridges, 237 bridges and viaducts Detailed examinations and necessary reinforcement works were carried out at various periods for the bridges and viaducts in each region. The critical role of the bridges and viaducts in a possible evacuation scenario was also meticulously evaluated and included in the plans. These meticulous studies are of vital importance for Istanbul to manage the evacuation process in the safest and fastest way in the event of a possible disaster.
