IRF Presents the Global Success Award to the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge

Oct 01, 2026

The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, which features many innovations that can be considered milestones in the history of global engineering, won the grand prize in the “Design” category at the “Global Excellence Awards,” presented annually by the International Road Federation (IRF).

Designed as a single-deck structure—unlike other bridges around the world that carry both road and rail traffic—the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge features an 8-lane roadway and a 2-lane rail track running at the same level. To achieve this, the bridge’s main cables, vertical suspension cables, and inclined suspension cables connecting the deck to the towers were integrated to create a highly rigid hybrid bridge. Slim, aerodynamic deck sections were used throughout the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge.

The Bridge of Firsts: Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge The construction of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and Northern Ring Highway project—a product of advanced engineering and technology—began with a groundbreaking ceremony held on May 29, 2013and was completed in a record time of just three years, opening on August 26, 2016.

With all its aesthetic and technical features, the bridge has taken its place among the world’s most notable bridges and is referred to as the “Bridge of Firsts.” With a width of 59 meters, it is the world’s widest suspension bridge; with a main span of 1,408 meters, it is the world’s longest suspension bridge featuring a rail system; and with a height exceeding 322 meters, it holds the distinction of being the suspension bridge with the world’s tallest tower.

About the International Road Federation

Established to promote and support the development of road networks worldwide, the International Road Federation (IRF) annually presents the “IRF Global Excellence Awards” to recognize outstanding and innovative projects that advance infrastructure technologies, as well as successful individuals working in this field.