Greece and Turkey have agreed to begin construction of a new bridge linking the two countries at Evros.
The construction of the bridge dubbed “Friendship Bridge” is expected to start in 2024 after officials from both countries greenlighted the project during the recent visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Athens.
On the Greek side the project was awarded in 2022 to engineering firms Egis and Mavrakis & Partners.
As a gateway between Europe and Asia, the “Friendship Bridge” will be an essential node of the future “Corridor IV”, a pan-European corridor comprising a 602 km road section between Thessaloniki and Istanbul: 346 km coinciding with the Egnatia – Thessaloniki – Kipi motorway section in Greece, and the remaining 256 km on Turkish territory concerning the Ipsala – Istanbul section.
The creation of this structure is made possible by the collaboration of the Greek and Turkish governments, provided for in the intergovernmental agreement signed in Istanbul in 2006. Egnatia Odos SA is responsible for the design of the project in cooperation with its Turkish counterparts.
With a total length of approximately 841 m, the bridge will consist of a 400 m long main bridge and two landing bridges with a length of approximately 150 m on Greek territory and 291 m on Turkish territory.
The new bridge will double an existing bridge. It will be placed downstream of the latter with a distance of 7.50 m between the banks of the two decks.
Turkish Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that the existing Ipsala-Kipi Bridge over the Meriç River was built in 1958 and, after inspections, there was no structural problem with the bridge.
However, due to increased heavy vehicle traffic and the concentration of tourists, it was found that the bridge was inadequate.
New bridge at Evros follows the warming of relations between Greece, Turkey
Greece and Turkey agreed on the implementation of the project as relations between the two countries improved in 2023.
It comes after Erdogan visited Athens where the two countries renewed their will to cooperate in several fields, including energy and tourism.
The Turkish leader and Greek PM Kyriakos Mistotakis signed a friendship declaration between Greece and Turkey in a symbolic move that confirms the warming of relations between the two nations.
The full text of the declaration can be found here.
Upon his return to Ankara Erdogan said he wants to develop cooperation with Greece on nuclear energy.
“We are trying to expand, develop this cooperation not just to energy, but all areas including nuclear energy,” Erdogan said, without elaborating, according to his office. “For example, we may provide an opportunity to Greece from the nuclear power plant we will build in Sinop.” He said Mitsotakis was “warm” to the idea.