From railways to airports, highway bridges and giant ports, Turkey is moving forward to the '2023 Vision' with major transportation projects. In the direction of the ‘2023 Vision’ Turkey, who aims to be one of the world’s 10 largest economies, is finding the most important share in this goal undoubtedly from infrastructure projects. Projects started in the transportation field have great investment attraction, clears the way to the ‘2023 Vision’. Recently opened Marmaray and under construction 3rd airport, 3rd bridge, Gebze - Orhangazi- Izmir Highway Project and Izmir Çandarlı Port Project are only some of them. Here are the projects that will take Turkey’s international status to a whole new level. THE PROJECT OF THE CENTURY: MARMARAY HAS OPENED Introduced as the project of the century and still remains on the agenda, Marmaray has an historical importance as a restoration and improvement project that will connect the railways of Istanbul’s European and Asian sides with a 76kms tube tunnel which goes under the Bosphorus. Scheduled to operate between Gebze and Halkalı, Marmaray’s new 14 km section which covers the Bosporus crossing between Ayrılıkçeşme and Kazlıçeşme opened in 29 October 2013 with a ceremony that President Abdullah Gül, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çicek, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta were present. The project’s construction started in 2004 but was completed four years later than estimated after the Port of Theodosius, the largest port of the city during 4th century was found. Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım interpreted as “we lost 4.5 years in this project but we increased Istanbul’s history from 6000 years to 8500 years “. Marmaray sheds light to history on this aspect as well. With 5.5 billionTL cost, Marmaray Project is the world’s deepest immersed tube tunnel with 60.46 meters rail system and the lifespan of the project is 100 years. With Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “ This great work belongs to Turkey first, then all humankind” words, the Marmaray project due to European output located in Yedikule, move the traffic load out the historical peninsula and not only contribute to protection of relics, reduce the distance of crossing the bosphorus into 2 minutes and reduce the distance between Halkalı and Gebze into 105 minutes. EURASIA TUNNEL OPENES IN 2015 ‘Istanbul Strait Road Crossing Project’ known as the sister project of Marmara or Eurasia Tunnel Project which will connect Istanbul’s European and Asian sides, will be built between Goztepe with Kazlıçeşme in order to relieve traffic in Istanbul. The project will have two of the 5.4 km long -storey tunnels which will be located beneath Istanbul’s Bosporus’ seabed with a total of 14.6 in kilometers. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2015 and Telecommunications of the Ministry of the Eurasia Tunnel Construction Business and Investment Company ( ATAS ) from TC Transport, Maritime Affairs was commissioned construct and operate for about 26 years. The traffic will be managed by intelligent systems at the tunnel exit and this will cost $ 1.3 billion. THE WORLD’S LARGEST AIRPORT The biggest tender in the history of the republic, 3rd Airport Project will be one of world’s largest airports with a capacity of 150 million passengers. Following the tender for 3rd Airport, the investor group also announced that they will invest 10 billion Euros. With a capacity of 150 million passengers, 3rd airport of Istanbul will be one of the world’s largest airports. First phase to be able to operate with 90 million passenger capacity is expected to be completed in 42 months but the rest is expected to be open to service in 2018. Transportation, Maritime and Communications Affairs Former Minister Binali Yıldırım explained that the new airport will serve for 342 million passengers in 12 years and the cost is expected to be 7 billion euros, excluding the financing. Binali Yıldırım announced that the airport will employ 120 thousand people with full capacity operation. 3rd airport, expected to be completed in 2018 has already brought mobility to the construction sector. In particular, the national airlines showing signs of preparations by new aircraft orders that they are getting ready for 2023. THE WORLD’S HIGHEST TOWER BRIDGE Government gives great importance not only in airports, also to transportation projects such as motorway and bridge investment. The 3rd bridge planned to be built in Istanbul stands out among these projects. 3rd brigde will be the’ world’s longest ‘ and ‘ most extensive ‘ drawbridge with a rail system on it. It will be the worlds’ tallest tower bridge with 59 meter wide and exceeding 320 meter heights. There will be 8-lanes for cars and and two -lanes for railroads. Bridge is being built especially to prevent damage on animals in an environmentally sensitive manner. With this feature, the bridge will be Turkey’s first ecosystem-oriented bridge. The bridge is expected to increase the volume of trade between the two continents, and as the “Modern Silk Road” will be the first in the world with freight percentage. Thus, a major obstacle in traffic, heavy vehicles will step Istanbul’s everyday life out. First concrete blocks for the bridge were cast in June as a part of the project. With the rail system which will be integrated with Marmaray and Istanbul subway, Ataturk Airport, Sabiha Gökçen Airport and 3rd airport will be connected to each other. The name of the new bridge was announced as Yavuz Sultan Selim but the debate still continues. DISTANCE BETWEEN ISTANBUL AND IZMIR REDUCED TO 3.5 HOURS In the framework of the ‘2023 Vision’ Transportation project goals are gaining a distinct dimension with the new highway investments. General Directorate of Highways will implement 24 motorways in Turkey with Build-Operate- Transfer (BOT ) model until 2023. First of these projects is, with the title of the world’s second largest project, the Gebze – Orhangazi - Izmir Highway Project (O33 ). It is aimed for the project to reduce the travel duration between Istanbul-Izmir to 3,5 hours. Because cities on its route such as Bursa and Balıkesir are parts of the project, it will become an important connection between densely populated cities and Marmara and Aegean Regions. Regarding the project, Osmangazi Mayor Mustafa Dündar states the following: “The highway project which will make Bursa Turkey’s third biggest city in 2023, also puts great responsibility on us in determining the short, mid and long-term strategies of our city.” As part of the project, the foundation of Gulf of Izmir Passing Suspension Bridge was laid in last March and the section to Bursa is aimed to be completed in the first six months of 2015 and the whole project until the end of 2016. Port Of Izmir Is Being Rebuilt In the maritime field studies continue to able to carry more passenger and load. The most significant project in line with this goal is Izmir Çandarlı Port Project, where the seabed on the route of ships will be dug 3 meters, as part of 300 million dollars investment. Declared as İzmir’s ‘Crazy Project’ by Ministry of Transport, ‘Izmir Port Rehabilitation and Modernization Project’ has only 4 other examples in the world and it is the first one in Turkey. In the basis of this project there is world’s largest tourist and cargo ships choosing Greece instead of Izmir because of the port’s lack of depth. Transportation Former Minister Yıldırım pledged to invest $ 300 million in the harbor and so far invested $ 80 million. Project which has not received tender offers is expected to be initiated again in coming months. After the routes are deepened and broaden the port is expected to be the most preferred among all other ports in Aegean. With the new port projects, Turkey is expected to become a transit country. In addition to that, $ 10 billion is aimed by increasing the share in shipbuilding industry to 80 percent. Share of seaway is planned to be increased up to %15 until 2023.