e-mosty June 2017: Osman Gazi B. US Suspension. Hålogaland B. e-mosty June 2017: Suspension Bridges | Page 29

OSMAN GAZI BRIDGE ONE YEAR IN OPERATION Fatih Zeybek, Director of Maintenance OTOYOL YATIRIM ve İŞLETME A.Ş Figure 1: Osmangazi Bridge and Approach Viaducts viewed from the North shore of Izmit Bay 1. INTRODUCTION Osmangazi Bridge is the fourth longest span suspension bridge in the world with it’s 1550 meter main span. The bridge and the first phase of the motorway were opened to traffic on 30 th June, 2016. The bridge is part of a Build-Operate-Transfer scheme including the build and operation of the adjacent 420 km motorway stretching from the outskirts of Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey to Izmir. Construction of the whole motorway project is financed by loans obtained by the Concessionaire (Otoyol Yatırım ve İşletme A.Ş.) from 12 banks. Otoyol A.Ş. has subcontracted the operation and maintenance of the bridge and the complete 2/2017 motorway for a period of 22 years to a dedicated company GIIB (Gebze Izmir İşletme ve Bakım). The routine maintenance of the bridge will be done by the Operator GIIB and the heavy repairs by the Concessionaire based on the recommendations of the Bridge EPC Contractor. The bridge was built using a FIDIC Silver Book Engineer, Procure, Construct (EPC) contract. The maintenance activities are prepared based on the Osmangazi Bridge maintenance strategy for the 100 year Design Service Life, which was one of the essential parameters of the detailed design of bridge.