Turkish Premier Opens 2nd Bridge Spanning Bosporus
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ISTANBUL, Turkey — Premier Turgut Ozal on Sunday inaugurated the second bridge linking Europe to Asia and was the first to cross it after the sacrifice of a sheep under Islamic ritual opened the ceremony.
Ozal called the eight-lane, $123-million suspension bridge across the Bosporus strait “a monument symbolizing friendship and cooperation between Turkey and Japan and Italy.” The bridge was built by a consortium of Japanese, Italian and Turkish companies.
The Turkish premier then drove his car 14 miles from Levent on the European side to Kozyatagi on the Anatolian side, followed by hundreds of vehicles.
The bridge’s main span reaches 3,597 feet and is about 192 feet above the water. It is the sixth longest suspension bridge in the world.
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