Skip to main content

IRF Regional Conference, Istanbul: Turkish economy surges ahead

IRF Regional Congress to be held against backdrop of ramped up highway investment Turkey has long enjoyed a privileged geographic position at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Buoyed by a vibrant economy (4.5% average GDP growth between 2002 and 2012), Turkey has embarked on an unprecedented effort to develop and modernise its transport infrastructure by 2023, marking the centennial of the foundation of the modern Turkish Republic. This plan, which seeks to propel Turkey as
April 13, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
The Gebze-Orhangazi-İzmir highway is one the biggest build operate transfer projects in the world
IRF Regional Congress to be held against backdrop of ramped up highway investment

Turkey has long enjoyed a privileged geographic position at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Buoyed by a vibrant economy (4.5% average GDP growth between 2002 and 2012), Turkey has embarked on an unprecedented effort to develop and modernise its transport infrastructure by 2023, marking the centennial of the foundation of the modern Turkish Republic.

This plan, which seeks to propel Turkey as the world’s 10th largest economy, sets an ambitious highway construction agenda with 36,000km of dual carriageway roads and another 7,800km of BOT motorways serving the needs of an estimated 378 billion passenger km. In parallel, a nationwide integrated traffic management & traveller information system relying on 17 regional centres and 7,500km of fibre optic cable is scheduled for completion by 2023.

1st IRF Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress

September 15–18, 2015
Grand Wyndham Hotel, Istanbul


Limited exhibition & sponsorship opportunities:

• Raise your profile and strengthen your brand awareness
• Position your brand as a market leader in a dynamic region
• Differentiate your brand from competitors
• Maximise exposure of your brand to the media and visitors
• Generate leads with exclusive access to a targeted audience
• Present your innovations at Applied Knowledge sessions
• Make your mark at a milestone event
with influential professionals from all road industry disciplines
Early results, as measured by the 3019 World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index, are encouraging. In 2014, the country as a whole ranked 33rd for the quality of its overall infrastructure. Highway infrastructure investments as a percentage of GDP increased from 0.4% to 1.2% in 2012. This in turn has translated into significant new markets for road equipment: Turkey’s current needs are estimated at 2,000 km of safety barrier and 142,000m2 of vertical signing every year for its national highway network alone.

Some of Turkey’s anchor investment projects are also setting new standards such as the Mount Ovit Tunnel (14,700m) set to be the longest in Europe, or the 384km Gebze-Orhangazi-zmir highway, one the biggest build operate pransfer projects in the world (pictured), valued at US$6.3 billion. Once completed, travel time from Istanbul to zmir will be cut by half to just 4 hours.

With a strong economic outlook and a long-term vision for the sector, Turkey has become an extremely promising market for investors and suppliers. Efforts underway to modernise the country’s legislative framework for PPPs will further strengthen the attractiveness of Turkey’s active portfolio of investment operations.


Organised by 3918 IRF Washington.



For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Low income countries account for only 3% of global road networks: a constraint for economic growth
    January 15, 2019
    An analysis of road network data from IRF World Road Statistics (WRS) reveals the low percentage of road networks in low income countries and underdeveloped regions of the world. These results link poor quality roads and lack of road infrastructure to constrained economic development and growth The IRF World Road Statistics (WRS) includes up-to-date data on the road and transport sector for over 200 countries and covers nine important road topics, one of which is road networks. An analysis of the road
  • Outstanding quality management to Orgeon state Bridge delivery programme and Delcan
    July 20, 2012
    In 2002, bridge conditions in the State of Oregon were declining. Projections were made that 30% of Oregon's bridges would have weight restriction within 8-years, causing a productivity loss to Oregon's economy of US$123 billion including 88,000 jobs. By 2012, Oregon’s State Bridge Delivery Program had been recognized nationally and internationally with awards for excellence and innovation, most recently scooping IRF’s Global Road Achievement Award for Quality Management.
  • IRF and FIA Seminar energises discussion on safe and sustainable roads
    June 30, 2014
    IRF, together with the FIA, held a high-level seminar in Paris on Road Safety, Sustainable Development and Financing. Contributors to the seminar included, among others, the President and Secretary General of the FIA, the Secretary General of ITF, and the Chairman of iRAP IRF and the Fédération Internationale Automobile (FIA) jointly organised a seminar on Road Safety, Sustainable Development and Financing on Thursday 17 April, one week after the UN adopted its latest resolution on “Improving global road sa
  • Bullish outlook for bauma China
    March 21, 2012
    Infrastructure expansion is the key to China’s continued economic development, according to the organisers of the upcoming bauma China 2012 event to be held in Shanghai. The bauma China 2012 show will take place from November 27 to 30, 2012 in Shanghai. Over 2,000 exhibitors are expected to take part in this “International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Construction Vehicles and Equipment”. And – for the first time – the event will be taking up the entire site at the Shan