3rd Bosphorus bridge inaugurated: VIDEO

3rd Bosphorus bridge inaugurated

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday inaugurated Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge – the third bridge to link Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus.

People stand as they hold Turkish national flags next to the Yavuz Sultan Selim bridge on August 26, 2016 in Istanbul during the inauguration of the bridge. (Reuters)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday cut the ribbon opening the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge – the third bridge to span the Bosphorus and link both sides of Istanbul as well as the continents of Europe and Asia.

In his speech at the bridge Erdogan said, "We are connecting continents... we are celebrating together and we are very proud of it. The nation deserves this. With God’s permission, this nation will get what it deserves. This is a great and joyful day."

The opening ceremony was attended by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain, and President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mustafa Akinci.

Senior officials from Pakistan, Georgia and Serbia also attended the ceremony.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım told the assembled dignitaries that the bridge "will not only serve Istanbul but also serve the historic Silk Road, starting from the Far East, ending in Europe and bringing civilizations together by connecting people."

The bridge – which began being built in May 2013 and was completed at a cost of $3 billion – has been constructed with the intention of providing traffic, particularly freight, with a way to bypass the busy motorways of inner Istanbul and the two pre-existing bridges.

It has a total of eight lanes for cars as well as two railway lines. In order to accommodate these it is 58.5 metres wide – wider than any other suspension bridge in the world.

The bridge will also help provide easier access to Istanbul’s new third airport when that project is completed.

http://www.trtworld.com/turkey/3rd-bosphorus-bridge-opening-ceremony-172455

Red and white balloons are released during the opening ceremony of newly built Yavuz Sultan Selim bridge, the third bridge over the Bosphorus linking the city's European and Asian sides in Istanbul, Turkey, August 26, 2016.

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