Alanya Municipality will begin the second stage of a full renewal of Atatürk Caddesi, the main avenue running through the centre of the Mediterranean resort town, on Nov. 2, Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik said in comments reported on Oct. 14.
The new phase covers the stretch between the Atatürk Monument and the Highways Directorate branch office, along the Ahmet Asım Tokuş coastal road that continues the avenue. The first stage, completed last year, covered the section between Alaaddin Keykubat Park and the Atatürk Monument.
Pipes and cables first, asphalt last
Under the plan, all underground infrastructure along the route will be replaced before any surface work begins. That includes drinking water and sewage pipes, stormwater drainage, electricity and street lighting, natural gas and fibre internet lines.
Each utility will complete its work in a set order, and only once all of them are finished will the municipality lay hot asphalt and replace worn pavements. The approach is intended to stop a newly surfaced road from being dug up again shortly afterwards, a common frustration in Turkish cities where different agencies often work on the same street at different times.
Özçelik said eight institutions were involved in the coordination and described the joint planning model as a first for Türkiye. He said the project should not be seen as a quick road fix, adding that the municipality was "planning Alanya’s next 50 years".
Consultation before work starts
Before work begins, the municipality plans to hold an information meeting with political parties, professional chambers, associations and other civil society groups, as it did ahead of the first stage. Officials met utility providers and contractors to agree the timetable and the sequence of works.
The municipality has not published a budget, the length of the section or an expected completion date.
What residents and visitors should expect
Alanya, about 130 kilometres east of Antalya city, is one of Türkiye’s biggest resorts and home to one of the largest foreign resident communities in the country, including many Scandinavian, German, Russian and Ukrainian homeowners. Atatürk Caddesi is a key artery linking the town centre, its seafront and the hotel districts along the coast.
Starting the work in November, after the peak tourist season, is designed to limit disruption, but residents and winter visitors should expect diversions, lane closures and slower traffic on the coastal stretch over the coming months.
Sources
Photo: Mr Bullitt / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
