Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure is studying the possibility of allowing tourist tours and visits to Istanbul’s first bridge over the Bosphorus Strait, opening it to pedestrian traffic: a measure that finds both supporters and detractors, especially for safety reasons.
According to Turkish media reports, the proposal is currently only an idea and has not even entered the design phase, and would in any case be a partial and controlled opening to pedestrian traffic. The fact is that already when the first Bosphorus Bridge – renamed the ‘July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge‘ after the 2016 coup attempt – was inaugurated in 1973, it was designed with pedestrian walkways on both sides; however, because some people came to the site to jump into the void and commit suicide, pedestrian entry was eventually banned and restricted to vehicles only.
Inspired by what is already done on famous bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge or the Brooklyn Bridge, Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu believes that the first bridge over the Bosphorus could also be a place that attracts tourists and has opened the debate on this issue, which has been answered by experts and representatives of the tourism sector with opinions both for and against.
Özgür Özaltun, president of the Istanbul Tourist Guides Association, is one of those who believes that the breathtaking views offered by the bridge especially towards the south side, from where the silhouette of major monuments such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace or Dolmabahçe can be seen, would make it one of the city’s major tourist attractions, although he stressed the importance of taking adequate safety measures.
The risks of reopening the bridge to pedestrians
In this regard, Haydar Özdemir, a retired police chief, warned in statements to the daily Hürriyet about the inherent safety risks of reopening the bridge to pedestrian traffic, pointing out that the existing pedestrian walkways are quite narrow and, in the event of an emergency or panic situation, are vulnerable to congestion and blockages.
‘If someone leaves a backpack unattended, it would be considered a ‘suspicious object’, forcing both pedestrian and vehicle traffic to come to a halt. There is also the danger of pedestrians trying to cross into vehicle lanes, as well as other unforeseen risks,’ he said.
For his part, Professor Altok Kurşun, who more than 50 years ago was involved in the project to build the first bridge over the Bosphorus Strait that divides Istanbul in two, points out that while the structure was designed to accommodate human traffic as well, some modifications may be necessary to take into account the additional load.
‘There is no problem in terms of capacity; however, the special measures that need to be taken to avoid risks and unforeseen events may alter the Bosphorus Bridge. The additional load may also require changes to the whole system. There could be limited and very controlled passage, such as for museum visits, in groups of 10-20 tourists. But full, generalised pedestrian traffic would definitely be neither prudent nor beneficial,’ he concluded.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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