REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: THE CASE OF YAVUZ SULTAN SELIM BRIDGE, ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The city of Istanbul situated on a geostrategic location connecting two continents. In order to maintain transportation link between Europe and Asia, passages such as bridges or underwater tunnels were built on Istanbul strait. These are necessary manmade structures to enhance the continuity of East to West. Recently due to dense urbanization observed in Istanbul, available transportation infrastructure failed in meeting comfortable transportation facilities as a result of heavy traffic on southern side of the city. Therefore government decided to design new routes on northern side with a new bridge called Yavuz Sultan Selim. In this study the changes of Land Use/Cover structure before and after the bridge construction project were investigated using Remote Sensing and Landscape metrics. It was found that areal extension of impervious surfaces was increased as a result of fragmented natural landscape. It was concluded that quantitative monitoring of LULC changes in prior and post stages of such big projects is necessary to see positive or negative environmental impacts. This study summarizes the observed changes for the first time in the region by taking into account Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and its connection highways.