Turkey looks to more than double the size of its highway network, weigh in on railway transportation and shipment, and pledged to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure by 2053, according to a road map shared on Tuesday.
Outlining the path Turkey would follow over the next three decades, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu said the government seeks to increase the size of the highway network to 8,325 kilometers (5,170 miles) and the dual carriageway to 38,060 kilometers.
Turkey has carried out multibillion-dollar projects over the last two decades and its nationwide highway and divided roads expanded to 3,633 kilometers and 28,647 kilometers, respectively.
Its railway network has been expanded to more than 13,000 kilometers and is aimed to be gradually increased to 28,590 kilometers by 2053, Karaismailoğlu told the "Transportation and Logistics Master Plan – Transportation 2053 Vision Launching" meeting in Istanbul.
He said they aim to complete around 8,554 kilometers of railway lines by 2053, including some 6,196 kilometers of a fast train network, 1,474 kilometers of conventional lines, 622 kilometers of high-speed lines, of which 546 kilometers will be completed next year, and 262 kilometers of very high-speed train lines.
More than $172 billion in investments have been made in all means of transportation and communication infrastructure between 2003 through 2021, Karaismailoğlu said.
"Hereafter, we will invest another $198 billion by 2053, starting this year," the minister said.
According to calculations made as part of the plan, investments will enable the country to save around $176 billion, including $59 billion in time, $26 billion in fuel, $10 billion in accident costs, $31 billion in emission reduction costs and $56 billion in other costs from external factors.
Karaismailoğlu said Turkey was an important passenger and air cargo hub for Europe, western Asia and Africa.
Stressing that the ever-growing tourism industry and the economy have been particularly supported by the network of 56 airports across the country, the minister said this figure would increase to 61 by 2053.