Here is our regular, monthly update on the roads in and around Kalkan.

All photos in this report were taken on Saturday 8th May.

Iskele Sokak
We begin with the town centre.  Iskele Sokak has progressed a little, but is still not open.

Dual carriageway into town
The new dual carriageway into town, (Şehitler Caddesi), from the traffic light junction has not been progressed in any significant way, since our last report.

Beach area
Down by the beach, the road beyond Kleo Bar is being resurfaced with bricks.  Let's hope this new road surface will stand up to the tracks of the bulldozer that is used to level out the beach every year.

And although technically not a road, we thought you may like to know that it looks like a new terrace is being created at the back of the beach, close to the Kleo Bar.  See photo below.  We think it may be used as a sunbathing terrace.

Service road to Kışla
You can see from the photo below, that more work has taken place on what will eventually be the service road from Kalkan to Kömürlük and Kışla.  It will be called Kışla  Caddesi.

The D400 Fethiye to Kaş highway
We now turn to the ongoing work on the D400 Kalkan by-pass.  With the main tourist season underway, the roadworks are now affecting more people, in a number of ways.  Problems include noise, dust, difficulties accessing properties, increased traffic diverted through the town centre, and water cuts.

How much longer?
The question that many people are asking is, how much longer will the roadworks go on for?  At a local level, the Mayor has been trying to get work stopped, and a number of business people in the tourism industry have also been working behind the scenes, to the same end.  The date of 15th May has been mentioned as a deadline.

The Kaymakam, at a meeting in Kaş last month, told an audience of foreign residents that he thought the work would stop by 15th May.

We have also heard that the national agency responsible for the D400 project, is keen for the work to be completed on time.  Whilst the ultimate deadline is May 2011, we understand that an important meeting is scheduled in Patara, for Republic Day, at the end of October 2010.  Many senior politicians and other VIPs will be gathering for this prestigious event, and they would like to have the Kalkan bypass in place by then.

We will have to wait and see what happens on 15th May.

Where is work taking place?
Currently, most of the work is taking place on the stretch of road, which is roughly between the Jandarma station and Kışla.  

The main junction, near to the petrol station, has diversion signs in place, and traffic coming down the hill from Fethiye direction cannot go straight on towards Kaş.  

All traffic, other than that heading towards Akbel, is being diverted into town.  The small roundabout near to Kaya restaurant and Teskom supermarket, has had to be reduced in size to allow for lorries and coaches to get through. (The loose bricks have now gone, by the way).

The town centre, along Şehitler Caddesi, is much noisier, with all of this additional traffic passing through.

These additional vehicles are also, at times, causing some congestion and great care is required when driving along the bottleneck by Yapı Kredi Bank and Bulent's butcher shop.

For information, Şehitler Caddesi is the road that goes into town from the petrol station, past the main banks, to the roundabout near Kaya restaurant, via the town centre roundabout, and up past the Adda supermarket, and as far as Luka restaurant.

The D400 is blocked to traffic, from the bus station access road, all the way to Luka restaurant.  Tape is across the road, although construction traffic is allowed, and it is also possible for residents of Kızıltaş to gain access to their properties.

Access to Kızıltaş is possible - including the Patio Homes/Begonvil area, although the temporary road surfaces are rough and extra care is required. 

Below: Looking towards the petrol station and bus station.

Below: And looking in the other direction, towards the Jandarma station.

Conditions are not easy for pedestrians, and sturdy shoes are advisable.  Walking in this area at night is especially difficult, due to a lack of street lighting.

Below: The Luka restaurant junction, looking towards Kızıltaş. The restaurant is just off the left side of this photo.

Disruption to the water supply
A new water pipe is being laid along the new road.  As construction engineers work on this, they have cut the existing supply to a number of properties in the Kışla, Ulugöl and Kömürlük areas.  This has been reported separately on KTLN.

The official announcement from the Belediye was that water would be off for 22 days, up until 20th May.  However, we are aware that efforts are underway to try and bring some piped water to these areas this week.  Unfortunately, we cannot say with certainty when, or indeed if, these efforts will restore water supplies, before 20th May.

The Belediye has been dispatching water tankers to affected areas, and assisting some residents, free of charge.  There are local businesses who will deliver a tanker of water to you, if you are prepared to pay.