Ovit Tunnel
The Ovit Tunnel, a significant section of the road connecting Rize to Erzurum through the 2,640-meter-high Ovit Mountain pass on the Ikizdere-Ispir Road, was constructed and opened for service on June 13, 2018.
This twin-tube tunnel, with a length of 14 kilometers, is the world's third-longest highway tunnel built with twin tubes.
The Ovit Tunnel provides a tunnel-grade passage through the Ovit Mountain Pass located on the Rize-Erzurum highway between Ikizdere and Ispir. It ensures that this road remains open throughout the year, as opposed to its previous state when it was closed for five months each year due to heavy snowfall and avalanches during the winter season.
Moreover, the tunnel has effectively shortened the existing road by 4 kilometers.
