150-Year-Old Türkiye’s Black Sea-Mediterranean Highway Completed

The long-awaited Black Sea-Mediterranean Highway, a project first proposed 150 years ago during the Ottoman era, has been completed. Originally conceived under Sultan Abdulaziz and later planned by Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1877, the 818-kilometer highway reduces travel time between Türkiye’s Black Sea and Mediterranean regions to just 6 hours. The final stretch, located in Ordu, was recently finished, overcoming decades of delays due to wars, political crises, and opposition from NATO during the Cold War. The project, which directly impacts 6 provinces and indirectly benefits 50, was finally realized through the efforts of Turkish engineers.