first test train through the marmaray tunnel
A railway tunnel underneath the Bosphorus Strait has been opened (29 October 2013) in Turkey, creating a new link between the Asian and European shores of Istanbul. The Marmaray tunnel is the world’s first connecting two continents. It was inaugurated on the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. [ story ]
fatih sultan mehmet bridge looking from asian side to europe. tunnel crossing near this landmark
over 40,000 artifacts discovered during excavation
Work began in 2004, but archaeological excavations delayed construction. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long championed the undersea project, first conceived by an Ottoman sultan in 1860. The underwater section runs for 0.8 miles (1.4 km), but in total the tunnel is 8.5 miles (13.6 km) long and and is designed to withstand earthquakes. [ 40,000 artifacts ]
installing tunnel into bosphorus seemingly easiest phase of project
Parsons Brinckerhoff, who’s role was design/construction supervision and D-B contract administration provides an enlightening video of lowering the tunnel into the Bosphorus. [ video ]
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