Original disclosure @ DFC website
Updated in EWS Apr 13, 2024
Contribute Information
Can you contribute information about this project?
Contact the EWS Team
According to the Bank’s website, the proposed Project involves DFC political risk insurance for up to $350 million for a greenfield motorway project in Istanbul Turkey. The Build-Operate-Transfer Project was awarded to the construction group, Ronesans, in July 2020, under a 20-year concession. The Project consists of a new 4-lane dual toll road with a total length of 30.64 km (including connection roads) and the 1,619 m long Sazlidere Cable Stayed Bridge. The Project is the final section (8th section) of the Northern Marmara Motorway (NMM). The NMM was originally composed of seven sections connecting Asia and Europe with an uninterrupted traffic flow. These seven sections have been completed and are under operation.
The Project is located in the western part of Istanbul Province and passes through 15 settlements in four districts (Basaksehir, Arnavutkoy, Avcilar and Catalca). These are densely populated areas with diverse economic livelihood activities as well as hosting large residential apartment buildings, public service institutions and sports facilities.
In addition, the following auxiliary features are included in the Project:
• Temporary construction components (e.g., two camp sites, quarries and borrow pits, surplus material dump sites);
• Cable Stayed Bridge (1619 m (length) X 46 m (width) and tower height of 196m), two towers, emergency and maintenance walkways on both sides, lighting two energy centers will be built at the base of each pylon of the bridge;
• Toll booths (number has not been specified yet); free flow systems and tollgate toll collection systems will be incorporated;
• Motorway will be fenced with no pedestrian access;
• Coated shoulders with emergency stripes and reserve shoulders;
• Viaducts will be used in 5 locations (Arnaavutkoy District and four locations in Basaksehir District);
• Ten interchanges – generally 2-lanes, typical lane width of 10.5 m, shoulders, crash strips;
• Underpasses (18), overpasses (28), and culverts (55) (to facilitate farm roads, wildlife and people movement, and water courses);
• Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls and retaining walls for reinforcement of embankments (approximately 10 km);
• Draining system of ditches, canals, pipes, manholes, and discharge structures to remove surface and subsurface waters to ensure safe traffic flow; and
• Relocation of overhead transmission lines.
Project has been reviewed against DFC’s categorical prohibitions and determined to be categorically eligible. The Project is screened as Category A because projects involving extensive rehabilitation and upgrading of a significant length of major highway can have significant adverse and social impacts that are diverse, irreversible or unprecedented. Primary environmental and social issues of concern include:
• Noise and vibration;
• Erosion and sedimentation;
• Impacts to flora and fauna in terrestrial and freshwater habitats;
• Community health and safety, including traffic safety;
• Occupational health and safety of Project workers;
• Cumulative environmental and social impacts;
• Physical and economic displacement from land acquisition; and
• Potential adverse impacts on archeological and built cultural heritage.
A political risk insurance for up to $350 million for a greenfield motorway project in Istanbul Turkey.
| Private Actor 1 | Private Actor 1 Role | Private Actor 1 Sector | Relation | Private Actor 2 | Private Actor 2 Role | Private Actor 2 Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | Meridiam Eurasia SAS | Client | - |
Nakkas Otoyol Yatirim ve Isletme A.S. Office:
Cankaya mah. Ataturk Bulvari No: 144-146 Cankaya, Ankara
ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Unlike many other development finance institutions, DFC does not currently have an access to information policy.
Under the United States Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), DFC is obliged to respond to reasonably formulated requests for Agency records. However, DFC may apply exemptions from release to certain types of information and may charge fees in responding to requests. DFC has a designated FOIA officer who is trained in how to respond to requests and implement the law. You can learn more about filing a FOIA request at: https://www.dfc.gov/foia
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION (DFC)
The Office of Accountability is an independent office that addresses complaints about environmental or social issues related to DFC-supported projects. The office provides communities an opportunity to have concerns independently reviewed and addressed. If you submit a complaint to the Office of Accountability, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a problem solving dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the DFC complied with its policies to prevent environmental, social, human rights, and labor harms.
You can find more information about the Office of Accountability at: https://www.dfc.gov/who-we-are/office-accountability
