In Sünebeli Tunnel, light appeared.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu attended the "Lighting Ceremony" at the Sünebeli Tunnel, where construction continues on the Refahiye-Kuruçay-İliç State Road by Kızılırmak Construction, in Erzincan, the hometown of former Prime Minister and former Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Binali Yıldırım. Speaking at the ceremony, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu drew attention to the importance of the Sünebeli Tunnel and its contribution to the region. Uraloğlu continued by stating that the Refahiye-İliç State Road, where the Sünebeli Tunnel is being constructed, forms an important transit point on the north-south axis that provides access from the Black Sea coastal area through Erzincan to Southeastern and Eastern Mediterranean regions. "We have converted the 78-kilometer-long road, which is of great importance for Erzincan, into a divided highway. So far, we have completed a total of 56 kilometers of work. We have also opened to traffic the 8-kilometer-long divided road section between Gümüşakar and Kuruçay, which constitutes 26 kilometers of our route. Work is ongoing on the 18-kilometer section, which includes 2 tunnels with a length of 6.8 kilometers each. We are realizing the Sünebeli Tunnel, which is 5,220 meters long and is planned as a dual-tube tunnel at Sünebeli Pass, on our route." Minister Uraloğlu explained that the Sünebeli Tunnel, where excavation works have been completed and the first light will be seen, starts at an elevation of 1617 meters and connects to the existing state road at an elevation of 1440 meters. "Additionally, in the section between Gümüşakar and Kuruçay, there is a 1580-meter-long double-tube Gümüşakar Tunnel and a 72-meter-long Garipçay Bridge. We have opened Garipçay Bridge to traffic. We have also completed the entrance-exit portal works in the Gümüşakar Tunnel. Thanks to our road and tunnel works, we are significantly improving the transportation standard of the route, increasing safety by preventing landslides and rockfalls. With the works we have carried out in the Gümüşakar-Kuruçay section, the current road will be shortened by 3 kilometers, and the travel time will decrease from 35 minutes to 15 minutes. With our project, we are improving the transportation standard of the land route between the north and south of our country. By enabling the transfer of goods and cargo from the Black Sea ports to the inland and from important industrial centers to residential areas in a shorter time, we are increasing the region's trade volume. Additionally, we will make a significant contribution to the tourism of our region, which stands out with its mountain sports, water sports, and traditional architecture." Binali Yıldırım, speaking at the Sünebeli Tunnel Lighting Ceremony held in Refahiye district of Erzincan, said that Erzincan was experiencing a historic moment and that the end of the tunnel was near. Yıldırım, using an excavator, ensured that the first light entered the tunnel.
