Increasing Traffic Problems and Studies in Istanbul
The increasing number of vehicles in Istanbul is making traffic increasingly dense. In particular, lanes closed due to simultaneous infrastructure work are throwing traffic into chaos. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) has closed 1 lane to traffic on the E-5 highway from Küçükçekmece to Avcılar within the scope of metrobus road renewal work. In addition, 1 lane on the side road from Avcılar to Küçükçekmece on the E-5 highway has been closed to traffic due to high voltage underground cable work carried out by the Turkish Electricity Transmission Inc. (TEİAŞ).
The simultaneous execution of both works resulted in kilometers of vehicle queues in both directions among citizens. Aerial footage also revealed the extent of this congestion. Many citizens stated that they were late for work due to traffic, while others stated that they could not use their vehicles due to the heavy traffic. These simultaneous works in the megacity led to comments that the authorities were not coordinating sufficiently regarding infrastructure.
Citizens’ Opinions
- Dogan Sahin:“We are experiencing serious traffic congestion due to the metrobus works. Metrobuses are greatly affected by these works and this increases our waiting times. I have my own vehicle but I cannot use it due to traffic. “I spend at least 1.5 hours to get from point A to point B. This is a huge waste of time for me, so I prefer to stay at home.”
- Yasar Mutlu:“We are now faced with traffic problems at all hours of the day in Istanbul. When maintenance and repair work is not done on time, it seriously affects us. Most of the time, we have to go to work by transfer instead of driving. Today, I was not allowed into the factory where I work because I could not go to work due to traffic. So I had to go back. It took me 2 hours to get here from Büyükçekmece. “Everything is getting more difficult due to the traffic work on the side road.”
- Berkan Taner:“Traffic is an endless ordeal in Istanbul. Traffic density increases with road maintenance work. I don’t think proper road maintenance work is being done. Citizens who use the metrobus are the most negatively affected by this situation. “It is also quite normal for people to go crazy after work due to the heat.”
