The construction of the Zigana Tunnel, which will be the second longest double tube road tunnel in the world and Europe’s longest when completed, continues on the route of the historical Silk Road connecting the Eastern Black Sea Region to the Middle East, the Caucasus and Iran. The tunnel, 89% of which has been completed, will contribute to faster and more reliable domestic land transportation and international trade.
Drilling works in the Zigana Tunnel, which was built on the Trabzon-Gumushane highway and whose foundation was laid on March 17, 2017 by the then Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, are continuing in both directions.
With the project, double tunnels, each of 14.5 kilometers and a total of 29 kilometers, are being constructed between the Kostere village location of Torul district of Gumushane and Basarkoy village of Macka district of Trabzon.
With the New Zigana Tunnel, the Basarkoy Valley will be entered at an elevation of 1015 meters, and the elevation of 1264 meters will be climbed with a 3.30% incline. Zigana Mountain will be passed by descending with a 0.85% incline and through a tunnel that will ascend from Kostere Valley at an elevation of 1212 meters.
Zigana Tunnel, 89% of which has been completed, will contribute to faster and more reliable international trade with domestic land transportation.
DISTANCE WILL BE SHORTENED
While the existing Zigana Tunnel passes at an elevation of approximately 1800 meters, the New Zigana Tunnel will be entered at a lower elevation of approximately 800 meters and the Zigana Mountain will be passed. The tunnel will shorten the transportation between Gumushane and Trabzon by 40 minutes.
Zigana, on the route of the historical Silk Road connecting the Eastern Black Sea Region to the Middle East, the Caucasus and Iran, will be the second-longest double tube road tunnel in the world and the longest in Europe when completed. The world’s largest road tunnel, 18.2 kilometers long, is a double-tube tunnel called ‘Zhongnanshar’ in China.
Highways Trabzon 10th Regional Deputy Director Serdar Ates stated that the Zigana Tunnel will see light at the end of this year and said that 89% of the excavation in the project has been completed.
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz