DESIGNING A WORLD RECORD SETTING BRIDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Serving as the centrepiece of the Malkara-Çanakkale Motorway Project in northwest Turkey, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge crossing over the Çanakkale Strait breaks the world record for the longest span of any bridge in the world at 2,023m when it opened to traffic in March 2022.

The new bridge and motorway feature three lanes in each direction and it eases traffic congestion, reduces travel times, improves road safety, enhances national road network integration, boosts economic activity, generates jobs during both construction and management, and creates opportunities for domestic and international tourism.

The area where the bridge is located is marked by several challenges, such as high winds, high seismic activity and high-stacked container ships all had to be considered. Strong winds are always critical for a long span suspension bridge and to ensure aerodynamic stability a twin-box girder was adopted.