Eurasia Tunnel: The Supertube
Driving 106 meters below the sea
The Eurasia Tunnel underneath the Bosphorus strait shortens the commute between Europe and Asia to 15 minutes. Bosch associate Murat Ozcihan and his team are ensuring the safety of this underwater traffic connection with the help of innovative video and fire detection systems.
“People want to feel safe when millions of liters of water are flowing above their heads.”
Fast connection
A traffic jam. And yet another traffic jam. Murat Ozcihan has lived in Istanbul, Turkey for 25 years. He loves the vibrant atmosphere in this metropolis. If only it weren’t so crazy out on the roads every day. Istanbul is known for having some of the highest levels of traffic in the world. But a superb new structure — the Eurasia Tunnel — is now providing a little relief for the ongoing traffic problems. Running 5,4 kilometers under the Bosporus, this twin-deck tunnel with two lanes on each level connects two continents. When traffic is flowing, it takes less than 15 minutes travel time to drive through it. Around 60,000 vehicles a day currently use this unique channel under the sea connecting the Asian side and European side of Istanbul.
Blue tunnel ceiling
With so many vehicles a day — and at 106 meters below the sea — traffic has to run smoothly and safely. A job for Murat Ozcihan. He and his ten-member team from Bosch Security Systems have been involved in the project right from the start. “We have installed 5,500 fire detectors in the tunnel. Automated detectors, sounders and manual call points ensure that any fires can be detected very quickly,” says Ozcihan. More than 100 emergency phones on each level are an additional safety feature for drivers.
The Eurasia Tunnel: an engineering marvel
Maximum safety
More than 500 video cameras from Bosch analyze the traffic in the undersea Bosphorus road tunnel. Accidents are detected automatically and immediately. Everything is controlled on a single platform, and the data are transferred to an enormous safety control center right at the tunnel. The system guides rescue teams rapidly to accident sites, and prevents traffic jams from occurring.
“The Eurasia Tunnel takes some of the pressure off traffic conditions in Istanbul. I can now arrange to meet friends for dinner at short notice on the other side of the Bosporus and get there on time — and safely,” says Murat Ozcihan with pride.
From Europe to Asia in 15 minutes
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Murat Ozcihan
Murat Ozcihan
Senior Business Development Manager, Bosch Security Systems Turkey
It was a great challenge to build the Eurasia Tunnel. I’m very proud to be a part of this project.
Murat Ozcihan was born in the city of Rize at the Black Sea in December 1973 and studied electrical engineering at Yıldız Technical University in Istanbul. He has been Senior Business Development Manager at Bosch Security Systems in Istanbul for six years. He has lived in Istanbul for 25 years. His hobbies: going to movies and the fitness studio — preferably with his family.
Summary
The Eurasia Tunnel in Istanbul doesn’t just connect two continents. It is a unique piece of construction in many ways. Thousands of components from Bosch Security Systems help to ensure that traffic flows smoothly.