Groundbreaking ceremony to be organized for Istanbul's third bridge

A groundbreaking ceremony for "North Marmara Motorway Project" which includes Istanbul's third bridge is set to be held today, on the 560th anniversary of Istanbul's conquest by the Ottoman Empire. President Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Transport and Communications Binali Yıldirim are expected to attend the ceremony. Touching on the third bridge, Yildirim said the bridge was a belated project. "We are not building the cheapest bridge of the world, but it will be the widest. There will be eight lanes and two railways. This is an ecologic project and our aim is to protect the fabric. We have built viaducts and four tunnels in order not to destroy the forestland and green areas," Yildirim said, adding that passage fee for cars would be $3.