Organized under the auspices of Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructures under the theme of “Supra-structural Solution for the Benefit of Society”, and the technical support of Directorate General of Highways (KGM), Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association (TÇMB) and European Concrete Paving Association (EUPAVE), “1st Congress and Exhibition of Concrete Highways” is kicked off with an opening speech at Ankara KGM Halil Rifat Paşa Conference Hall with attendance of Mr. Enver Iskurt, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Infrastructures. In his opening speech, Mr. Dr. Tamer Saka, TÇMB Board Chairman, stated that preference to utilize concrete highways besides asphalt ones will contribute to the national economy by reducing current deficit.
Mr. Dr. Tamer Saka, TÇMB Board Chairman, stated in the opening speech of the congress that preference to utilize concrete highways besides asphalt ones will also contribute to the national economy by reducing current deficit. Mr. Saka added saying “Concrete Highways is a long lasting, durable, and domestic alternative which requires very scares maintenance and repair during its life time. As you know, bitumen, the binding of asphalt highways is a byproduct obtained from imported crude oil, resulting in foreign-source dependency. On the other hand, cement and concrete are solely domestic products.”
Concrete Highways may ensure a saving of 700 million US Dollars
In his speech during the opening of the Congress, Mr. Nihat Özdemir, TÇMB Board Member, expressed that it would be possible to save approximately 700 million US Dollars a year in the initial construction costs if 50 percent of all highways and state roads in our country, 10 percent of provincial roads, and 20 percent of local administration road network are made of concrete. Mr. Özdemir said “As in the developed countries, we may also save 8.1 billion US Dollars in ten years including maintenance and repair costs. Accordingly, we will have produced much longer lasting and permanent solutions” and added saying: “We are the best asphalt manufacturer in the world presently. Let us also make concrete in the same manner. Let us try different methods of application. We may make produce composite highways with concrete substrate and asphalt covering, or fully concrete comfortable highways with a lifetime of at least 50 years. Let us monitor and evaluate the outcomes. If they are to the benefit of our country, we may utilize both of them and create a competition. Accordingly, we may ensure of the public interest.”
Concrete Highways Congress and Exhibition was held with participations of directors and technical experts of relevant national and international public enterprises, municipalities, and special provincial administrations as well as academicians and private sector representatives. Participants from both Europe and American continents extending from USA to Germany, Belgium to Chile, and Poland to France elaborated the concrete highway techniques in their countries while relevant experts and academicians made 24 presentations in the technical sessions of the congress. During the sessions, information were provided on such important matters as “50 years of durability on concrete highways, the fact that concrete barriers save lives, and 700 million US$ saving is possible with utilization of concrete highways.”