Istanbul third bridge talks nearing end

The bridge is expected to be constructed under build-operate-transfer model, with the consortium having the lease for operations for 49 years.
Officials close to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the he was warm to the idea of a third bridge but had to look into guarantees required by the Malaysian group over traffic flow.
However, some officials are reported to wait and see how the outcome of the construction of an undersea rail tunnel beneath the southern mouth of the Bosphorus, set for completion in 2008, before determining whether there was a legitimate requirement for a third bridge.