Work continues on the widening of Kaş Road.  Residents in Kızıltaş woke up yesterday morning to find that one of the few remaining roads connecting them to Kalkan has become difficult to use. 

Çitlik Sokak, the concrete road that comes out on to Kaş Road close to the Kelebek Hotel has been cut in two by the workmen, but is just about passable with care (avoiding the heavy machinery - see the lorry in our photo below).

Apart from this access point, there is only one other viable, and safe exit for vehicles, which emerges on Kadife Sokak (the road to Akbel).  If this road, which is also in a poor condition, become impassable, then residents will feel in danger of being cut off.  See our map below.

Pedestrian access
Pedestrians will find no easy pathway into town either.  Çitlik Sokak is now hazardous for pedestrians, especially during the evenings, when it is dark and lorries are coming and going.  The quickest alternative route involves walking over rough ground, and emerging close to the traffic lights at the main D400 junction - not the most direct route into town.

Quite apart from the inconvenience of people not being able to go about their daily business, and children having difficulty getting to school, this scenario is potentially dangerous because emergency services may have problems reaching the area.

Action by Mustafa Yılmaz
The owner of Samira Deluxe apartments, Mustafa Yılmaz, spoke with the Belediye recently, following the collection of signatures on a petition.  (See our earlier local news article).

Following this meeting, Kalkan Turkish Local News understands that Mustafa Yılmaz is going to pay for two new concrete roads to be built before the 2010 tourist season begins.  One road will lead to the main junction, coming out at the traffic lights.  The other road will emerge at a junction to be constructed close to the Jandarma station.

This decision to fund the roads privately, is a business decision that reflects the importance of access to town for Samira Deluxe customers.  A new 30 room Samira Deluxe hotel is being built this winter, adjacent to the existing apartments.

We further understand that Kalkan Belediye has confirmed that once funding comes through for the new financial year, in January 2010, the improvement of roads in Kızıltaş will be a priority.

Short term challenge
Welcome though these promised developments are, this still leaves a significant challenge in the short term for private cars, pedestrians, bin lorries, delivery vehicles, taxis and the emergency services.  Access is likely to be an issue during November and December.

Another question arises regarding pedestrian access to town in between the two roads that Mustafa Yılmaz is going to build.  The distance between the traffic light junction and the Jandarma station is significant.  Will there be steps leading down to the new, wider D400, in between these two road junctions, so that people can walk into town, as they do now, via the steps leading to No 3 Nolu Sokak?

And even if there are some new steps taking you down to the road, how safe will it be for pedestrians whilst the road is being widened?  There will be a refuge between the carriageways eventually, but there isn't one at the moment.

These are uncertain times for residents of Kızıltaş, some of whom we know are feeling increasingly cut off from the rest of Kalkan.  Unless short term solutions can be found, they will be facing a pretty difficult few months.

Kızıltaş map
We apologise for the less than brilliant quality of the map below, which is due to the limitations of scanning software, but probably more to the point, the author's inability to draw!

In the map below we show the roads of Kızıltaş.  The green dot shows one possible exit from Kızıltaş, which brings you out on to the road to Akbel.

The red boxes show access roads blocked off - from top to bottom, Selvi Sk, which was the first to go; Çınar Sk, close to the Samira Deluxe, which was cut off months ago; Meşe Sk, which was cut off at the start of November 2009, and finally Çitlik Sk, which is only just about usable, but is hazardous, due to the presence of heavy machinery.  It is also poorly lit at night.

The blue box shows where the steps are leading to No 3 Nolu Sk - an obvious route into town for pedestrians coming from Kızıltaş.