Belkahve Tunnel

The Belkahve Tunnel (Turkish: Belkahve Tüneli) is a motorway tunnel located in Izmir Province, Aegean Region as part of the Gebze-Orhangazi-İzmir Motorway O-5 in Turkey.

Belkahve Tunnel
Belkahve Tüneli

Overview
Location	Kavaklıdere, Bornova - Ulucak, Kemalpaşa, Izmir Province
Coordinates	38°27′47″N 27°19′18″E
Status	Operational
Route	O-5
Operation
Work begun	July 7, 2013
Constructed	Otoyol A.Ş.
Opened	March 8, 2017 (2017-03-08)
Owner	General Directorate of Highways
Traffic	automotive
Character	Twin-tube motorway tunnel
Technical
Length	1,556 and 1,653 m (5,105 and 5,423 ft)
No. of lanes	2 x 3
Tunnel clearance	6 m (20 ft)
Width	2 x 12 m (39 ft)

Belkahve Tunnel

Location of Belkahve Tunnel in Turkey

Situated at Belkahve Hill between Kavaklıdere in Bornova district and Ulucak in Kemalpaşa east of Izmir, it is a 1,556 and 1,653 m (5,105 and 5,423 ft)-long twin-tube tunnel carrying three lanes of traffic in each direction. The tubes are 12 m (39 ft) wide and have 6 m (20 ft) clearance.[1] The construction works are being carried out by Otoyol A.Ş., a consortium of Turkish Nurol, Özaltın, Makyol, Yüksel, Göçay and Italian Astaldi companies. The New Austrian Tunnelling method (NATM) is being applied for the boring of the tunnel. Average daily progression in both tubes of the tunnel is 4 m (13 ft), where 60 people are at work. Grounbreaking ceremony was held in presence of Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication Binali Yıldırım on July 7, 2013.[1][2][3]

The tunnel was opened to traffic on March 8, 2017 by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.[4]

Other tunnels on the route are the 3,586 and 3,591 m (11,765 and 11,781 ft)-long Orhangazi Tunnel and the 1,192 and 1,303 m (3,911 and 4,275 ft)-long Selçukgazi Tunnel.