With an approximate volume of 64 million cubic meters, earthworks occupy an important place in the project. This volume would be transferred by 4 million 267 thousand truck journeys. Currently, 143 construction machines and 320 trucks are involved in earthworks.
By assessing, in advance, the negative impact of earthworks on the natural environment, various measures have been taken in the project to keep these impacts to a minimum. Foremost among the possible negative impacts to the natural environment is the emission of dust during excavation and transport of soil. Likewise dust emissions may negatively affect crops in the planted fields extending along the route. Thus, to prevent or minimise the emission of dust, attention is paid to sprinkling water across the route at regular intervals, and to ensuring that earth-moving trucks respect the specified speed limits.
For the uninterrupted implementation of the sprinkling programme, reservoirs have been built at various points along the route, and regular sprinkling is ensured on the route by transferring water from these reservoirs into the sprinkling trucks. The sprinkling plan is updated every week by taking the work programme into account.
Furthermore, a GPS Management Centre has been established in the Lüleburgaz Work Site. Within the approximately 153-kilometer route, the earth-moving trucks of both the Contractor and Subcontractor companies are tracked instantly from this centre. Truck drivers must determine their speed by taking into consideration the weather, ground, load and road conditions. The maximum speed limit is determined to be 45 km/h. Trucks that fail to respect the speed limits are identified, and their drivers are referred to the Disciplinary Board. Penalties such as warnings, reprimands and fines are applied sequentially for these infringements, and the final stage of these penalties can include dismissal from work.
The grievances of citizens whose planted fields have sustained damages despite all the measures taken are received via the Help Desk formed within the scope of the project, and these grievances are rapidly examined to remedy any losses of citizens.