Discussions do not end in the Kanuni Boulevard Project, which was started in 2011 and continues to be built in Trabzon. The viaduct and tunnel built in Boztepe, a "Natural Protected Area-Qualified Natural Protection Area", where a part of the project, which will cost 2 billion Turkish Liras (TL), passes, and which is also known as the city's viewing terrace, has greatly damaged the silhouette of the city. Despite the warnings by the Chambers of Architects and Urban Planners that it will damage the urban texture and disrupt the silhouette, the viaduct now welcomes those who come to the city with its bad appearance. The representatives of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and political parties, who evaluated Kanuni Boulevard, which caused the comments "It was stuck in the heart of the city like a dagger", to our newspaper, want the project to be renovated even if it is late.
“THE BIGGEST EVIL EVER MADE TO TRABZON”
Evaluating Kanuni Boulevard and the viaduct and tunnel built in Boztepe for our newspaper, Chamber of City Planners Trabzon Branch President Ercan Şen stated that the viaduct is the biggest evil done to Trabzon. Şen said, “The Kanuni Boulevard, which was started before its feasibility done, It has not been made in accordance with the current master development plan of the city of Trabzon. The access road, which was created with the change in the plan, was created with a fragmented approach that is disconnected from the master development plan transportation infrastructure. The inner city road has become a transit road. Considering the land uses of the city, the said road route was planned as a transit road, while it should have been an urban road. The road will not solve the city's traffic problem.”
“THEY TAKE THE BREATH OF THE CITY AWAY”
Expressing that anybody did not own the city, Şen added, “Kanuni Boulevard divided the city into two. Nobody cares about the city. Unfortunately, Trabzon has no owner. Unfortunately, the road has reached a point where it is difficult to return. A dagger was stuck into the bosom of Trabzon. If you remove the point where the city breathes, everything becomes concrete and climatic change will occur.” Saying that their struggle will continue despite everything, Şen stated that the project should be remodeled.
“FIRST, THEY ARE FACED WITH THIS BAD IMAGE”
Trabzon Provincial President of the Felicity (Saadet) Party Cevat Kurt, in a statement to our newspaper about Kanuni Boulevard, said, "People who come to Trabzon by plane first see that Boztepe's heart has been pierced. Kanuni Boulevard was built in this way, and it was more expensive and the natural structure of Trabzon was deteriorated. Kanuni Boulevard is said to be the most costly urban road in Turkey. Many expropriations were made unnecessarily on the road route. As a result of these expropriations, both citizens have been victimized, serious costs have been incurred and the environment has been massacred. Justice and Development Party (AKP) administrators do not even have a consensus among themselves, let alone consult with professional chambers, non-governmental organizations, provincial heads of political parties and opinion leaders when making decisions about the city.
“THEY TURN A DEAF EAR TO ALTERNATIVES WE OFFER”
Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality Council Member and Deputy Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Group Turgay Şahin also stated that the construction of Kanuni Boulevard, whose feasibility has not been made and whose construction has reached the final stage despite all warnings, he expressed that Trabzon will not alleviate the traffic load in the city. Stating that they offer alternatives, Şahin said, “The ruling staff turned a deaf ear to the alternatives we offered. And the road built at the point reached not only did not alleviate the traffic in the city, but also destroyed the silhouette of the city. This way should be discussed again with the technical staff and a solution should be found.”
BOX.. BOX. BOX… “ONE COST TO BUILD, A BIGGER COST TO DESTROY”
On the other hand, despite the opposition of the people of Trabzon and NGOs, the overpass at Reşadiye Junction, for which millions of TL has been spent without calculation of necessity, destruction of it is also on the agenda. Ercan Şen, Chairman of the Chamber of City Planners Trabzon Branch, said that the overpass, which was built stubbornly, was not used, it damaged the texture of the historical walls and created an ugly image in the city. Şen said, “We offered alternatives so that the overpass in Reşadiye would not be built. There is talk of demolition in the process. It doesn't work, it is said to cause visual problems.”
“If there is no adept in person and consultation with the organizations, results such as the Reşadiye Junction overpass will occur,” added Cevat Kurt, the Trabzon Provincial Chairman of the Saadet Party, and said, “It is a cost to build, a greater cost to demolish. Now, who will account for the expense incurred at the Reşadiye junction?” In case the overpass is destroyed, millions of TL will come out of the state's coffers.