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The Bosporus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü) was the first bridge built over the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. It extends between Ortaköy on the European side and Beylerbeyi on the Asian side.
History
The idea for a bridge over the Bosporus dates back to antiquity. It didn’t become reality until Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes (1899-1961) signed off on the project in 1957. The bridge was designed by British engineering firm Freeman Fox and Partners in 1968.
Officially renamed the 15 July Martyrs Bridge (15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü), it was built between 1970 and 1973. It was the fourth longest suspension bridge in the world upon its completion. The bridge opened to the public on October 30, 1973.
Specs
The Bosporus Bridge is 1,560 meters (5,118 feet) long, 33.40 meters (110 feet) wide, and 165 meters (541 feet) high. It has a clearance of 64 meters (210 feet).
There are eight lanes of traffic. Each side has three standard lanes and one emergency lane. On weekday mornings, four of the six lanes run westbound and only two eastbound. On weekday evenings, four lanes run eastbound two run westbound. No commercial trucks are allowed to use the bridge.
There’s also a toll plaza with 13 booths. Cars crossing from Europe to Asia pay a toll while cars crossing from Asia to Europe pass freely. Tolls are collected using a remote payment system.
Marathon
Every year, the Istanbul Marathon crosses the bridge. It’s held every November. Pedestrians were allowed to use the bridge until 1978.
