The distance between Erzurum and Rize is getting shorter

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made statements about the latest situation in the Dallıkavak Tunnel and Connection Roads Project, which was implemented on the Erzurum-Rize Road. Minister Uraloğlu announced that a total of 9 kilometers, including the Dallıkavak Tunnel, will be put into service on Friday, October 16.

Stating that Erzurum is in a strategic location connecting the Eastern Anatolia Region to the Black Sea ports, border gates and logistics centers, Minister Uraloğlu stated that they continue their work to strengthen the transportation infrastructure of the region.

Uraloğlu said, "With the Dallıkavak Tunnel we built on the north-south axis connecting Erzurum to Rize, we will prevent transportation disruptions due to snowfall, blizzard and icing, especially in winter months. We will offer safer, more comfortable and uninterrupted transportation to our citizens." he said.

WORKS IN DALLIKAVAK TUNNEL HAS BEEN COMPLETED

Stating that the Dallıkavak Tunnel was built with a length of 3 thousand 105 meters and a double tube, Minister Uraloğlu noted that the works on the 5.9 kilometer section of the tunnel as well as the connection roads have been completed. Uraloğlu said, "We are preparing to put into service a total of 9 kilometers of the 3,105-meter-long double-tube Dallıkavak Tunnel. We continue to work on the 21.3-kilometer section." He made a statement.

Stating that they increased the physical and geometric standards of the existing road with the Dallıkavak Tunnel, Minister Uraloğlu stated that they provided a new passage at a lower elevation instead of the existing route, which includes the Dallıkavak Pass with an altitude of 2 thousand 349 meters.

Uraloğlu said, "By deactivating the existing road section, which has a high slope and 8 sharp bends, we moved the route to a 190 meter lower elevation. Thus, we will significantly reduce the transportation difficulties faced by our drivers, especially in severe winter conditions." he said.

"TRAVEL TIME WILL BE REDUCED TO 5 MINUTES"

Touching on the economic and environmental gains that the project will provide, Minister Uraloğlu said, "With the Dallıkavak Tunnel, we will shorten the current route by 4.6 kilometers, reducing the travel time from 20 minutes to 5 minutes. We will save a total of 103.7 million lira, including 76.7 million lira from time and 27 million lira from fuel. We will also reduce carbon emissions by 1,334 tons annually." he said.

Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that Dallıkavak Tunnel constitutes one of the important parts of the Erzurum-Rize route, together with the Ovit Tunnel, which was put into service in 2018, and the Kırık Tunnel, which is under construction, and continued his words as follows:

"With the work we carry out on the entire Erzurum-Rize Road, we are strengthening the transportation axis connecting the Black Sea to Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia. We will shorten the route, which is currently 248 kilometers, by 52 kilometers to 196 kilometers upon completion of all our works. We will provide uninterrupted divided road comfort on the north-south axis extending from the Rize section of the Black Sea Coastal Road to Erzurum, Bingöl and Diyarbakır."