A Tainted Place in Central Anatolia: Kırkdilim Road (Çorum-Turkey)
A Tainted Place in Central Anatolia: Kırkdilim Road (Çorum-Turkey)

Summary/Abstract: Building roads has been indispensable for civilizations from past to present. The geographies and civilizations where the roads were built played an important role in the construction of the road, ensuring its continuity and gaining an identity. The aim of this study is to reveal the construction process of the Kırkdilim road, which has been under construction for more than half a century, how it turned into a tainted road in the historical process, and the reflections of the political decisions taken in the field. For this purpose, field studies were carried out at intervals between 2018-2022. During these studies, interviews consisting of open-ended questions were conducted with the local people. The results of the research revealed that the effect of the geological and geomorphological structure in the area, technical inadequacies and political decisions are among the biggest reasons why the Kırkdilim road could not be completed for more than half a century in the historical process. Due to the slope conditions of the Mesozoic limestones and conglomerate formations in the area, their mobility is high. Tunnels and roads built in the area in previous years have become unusable due to landslides and rockfalls, and many fatal accidents have occurred. The historical process, especially the reflections of the political decisions taken, has made the Kırkdilim road a tainted place. The experiences, narratives and stories of the people who use this tainted area have been passed down from generation to generation. Today, the area is a tainted place both in terms of local people, drivers and passengers using the area, aesthetically and archaeologically, geographically and politically. The issue of how to manage this taintining is the most basic problem that needs to be addressed.

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