GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF HIGHWAYS CELEBRATES ITS 74TH ANNIVERSARY
The General Directorate of Highways, dedicated to providing infrastructure services for the development of our country, continues its work with the vision of constructing "safe, comfortable, smart, timely, resilient, and sustainable roads." Celebrating 74 years of devoted public service, the General Directorate of Highways takes pride and joy in its accomplishments. As part of the anniversary celebration on Friday, March 1st, a breakfast gathering was hosted by Director General Ahmet Gülşen, attended by Deputy Director Generals, Department Heads, Regional and Branch Directors. Additionally, Deputy Ministers of Transport and Infrastructure, Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Durmuş Ünüvar, and Osman Boyraz, joined the event.
In his address during the program, Director General Ahmet Gülşen extended congratulations on the 74th anniversary of the KGM's establishment and wished all employees a happy Highways Workers' Day. Reflecting on the legacy of the Ministry of Public Works, Roads, and Bridges, and the subsequent transition to the General Directorate of Highways, Gülşen emphasized how highway workers have transformed every corner of the country into accessible and comfortable places with the motto "A place you haven't gone is not yours." He also highlighted the significant roles played by many highway workers who have served in various important positions in the country, drawing from their experiences from the past to the present.
The General Directorate of Highways was established under the Ministry of Public Works on March 1, 1950, following the enactment of Law No. 5539 on February 11, 1950. This transition replaced the Directorate of Roads and Bridges, which was previously responsible for highways, with a more dynamic and contemporary structure.
Established as a legal entity and endowed with an autonomous budget under the Ministry of Public Works, the General Directorate of Highways was created through its Founding Law, which also formed 10 Regional Directorates within its structure. In response to evolving needs, the number of regions was subsequently increased. The proliferation of Regional Directorates facilitated nationwide planning, feasibility studies, and project works related to highway policies, initiating an intense period of activity.
The efforts resulted in the creation of a 60,000-kilometer highway network in the 1960s, with a focus on expanding the asphalt-paved road network between 1960 and 1970.
In the 1970s, with the establishment of the motor vehicle industry, the construction of high-standard, multi-lane expressways and motorways became a priority, especially in areas with heavy traffic and around major cities. Projects such as the Istanbul Ring Road and the Istanbul-Izmit Expressway were initiated. Additionally, what is now known as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge (15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü) was opened to traffic in 1973, providing the first uninterrupted highway connection between Europe and Asia in history.
In the 1980s, alongside the efforts to improve accessibility through highways, a motorway initiative was launched. Motorways such as Gebze-İzmit, Tarsus-Pozantı, and Kapıkule-Edirne were constructed. Additionally, in 1988, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge was inaugurated.
In the 1990s, construction works on motorways continued, with significant progress made on various important road sections such as the Ankara Ring Road, İzmir-Çeşme Motorway, Edirne-Istanbul Motorway, Istanbul-Ankara Motorway, İzmir-Aydın Motorway, Tarsus-Pozantı-Mersin Motorway, and Tarsus-Adana-Gaziantep Motorway. By the year 1990, the total length of motorways reached 1,674 kilometers, which increased to 1,714 kilometers by the year 2002, from the initial 152 kilometers in 1990.
As part of the Emergency Action Plan prepared at the beginning of 2003, a divided road initiative was launched, and construction works on motorways continued. Several significant projects were undertaken between 2003 and 2011, including the Black Sea Coastal Road, Bolu Tunnel, Ankara-İzmir Divided Road, Ankara-Samsun Divided Road, Gaziantep-Şanlıurfa Motorway, Erzurum-Ağrı-Gürbulak Border Gate Divided Road, Bozüyük-Mekece-Adapazarı Divided Road, and Diyarbakır-Mardin Divided Road. By completing 15,000 kilometers of divided road network nationwide during this period, the total length of divided roads reached 29,373 kilometers.
The working principles, regulations, organizational structure, and duties of the General Directorate of Highways, which was affiliated with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure on August 30, 2007, are regulated by Law No. 6001 and Presidential Decree No. 4 on the Organization of Institutions Related to Ministries, Relevant, Affiliated Institutions and Other Institutions, published in the Official Gazette dated July 15, 2018 (Number: 30479).
In line with the transportation policies set in the 2010s, efforts were made to enhance the highway network using not only public funds but also alternative financing methods. One such method is the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, implemented through Public-Private Partnerships. Projects initiated under the BOT model include the following: The entire Istanbul-Izmir Motorway was completed in 2019. The Menemen-Aliağa-Çandarlı Motorway and Ankara-Niğde Motorway were completed in 2020. Except for the 45 km Başakşehir-Bahçeşehir-Hadımköy section, the North Marmara Motorway was completed in 2021. The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Malkara-Çanakkale Motorway were completed in 2022. 93 kilometers of the Aydın-Denizli Motorway were opened to traffic in 2023.
Under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Highways, there is a total road network of 68,640 kilometers, comprising 3,726 kilometers of highways, 30,850 kilometers of state roads, and 34,064 kilometers of provincial roads. Among these, 30,867 kilometers are paved with bituminous hot mix, and 35,998 kilometers have surface coatings. Additionally, the road network includes 495 tunnels with a total length of 753.4 kilometers and 9,871 bridges covering 774 kilometers.
The General Directorate of Highways continues to carry out planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation services with dedication to meet the safe, comfortable, and uninterrupted transportation needs of road users. These services are conducted in accordance with the requirements of economic, social, and technological developments, with sensitivity to the environment, and in harmony with other transportation systems.
