Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Released Istanbul’s Traffic Report

According to data from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), traffic index values in Istanbul have decreased by 17 percent over the past three years. The traffic index, which stood at around 35 percent during morning rush hour in 2015, fell to 31 percent in 2018, while during evening rush hour it dropped from 58 percent to 48 percent. It was determined that the average daily number of vehicles crossing the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge decreased by approximately 12 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year. Due to heavy-duty vehicles using the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, the total number of vehicles crossing the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in 2017 decreased by approximately 12 percent compared to the previous year.

According to a study by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), in this megacity where the number of registered vehicles has exceeded 4 million, the proportion of vehicles using the 15 July Martyrs’ Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge decreased by 12 percent as the number of vehicles using the Eurasia Tunnel and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge increased. According to the same study, traffic flow on the routes of the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge has accelerated. During evening hours, travel times were reduced by approximately 41 percent on the D-100 Highway and by approximately 32 percent on the TEM Highway.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Transportation Department investigated changes in traffic density between 2015 and 2018 and the effects of transportation projects on Istanbul’s traffic. According to the results of the study, which was conducted using traffic measurement sensors throughout the city, traffic data was analyzed for the routes of the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, specifically between Atatürk Airport and D-100 Kozyatağı, and between TEM Mahmutbey and TEM Kozyatağı. Traffic flow during the 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. period, when traffic is generally smooth, was compared with the morning and evening peak hours in both directions.

THE AVRASYA TUNNEL AND YAVUZ SULTAN SELIM BRIDGE HAVE SPEEDED UP TRAFFIC FLOW

The research findings showed that travel times have decreased on the D-100 Highway and the TEM Highway, which form the backbone of Istanbul’s traffic. It was also noted that the Eurasia Tunnel and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge have accelerated traffic flow and reduced travel times along the routes of the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. It was reported that travel times decreased by approximately 41 percent on the D-100 Highway and by approximately 32 percent on the TEM Expressway during evening hours.

THERE ARE OVER 4 MILLION VEHICLES IN ISTANBUL

According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the number of vehicles registered for traffic in Istanbul in 2017 increased by 216,376 compared to the previous year, surpassing 4 million. According to the results of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s (İBB) study; After the Eurasia Tunnel and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge opened in 2016, it was observed that during peak traffic hours, drivers achieved time savings of up to 41 percent in their average travel times and reached their destinations more quickly.

TRAVEL TIME ON THE MAHMUTBEY ROUTE SHORTENED BY 30 MINUTES
According to the study, on the D-100 Highway between Kozyatağı and the Airport, travel times, which were approximately 2 hours during the evening in 2015, have decreased year after year, shortening by 49 minutes in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 2015. On the TEM Highway’s Kozyatağı-Mahmutbey route, travelers saved 30 minutes during evening hours.

TRAFFIC INDEX DECREASED BY 17 PERCENT

According to the study, between 2015 and 2018, a 17 percent decrease in traffic index values was observed alongside improved traffic flow. The traffic index, which stood at 35 percent during morning peak hours in 2015, fell to 31 percent in 2018, while during evening peak hours, it dropped from 58 percent to 48 percent. The significant improvement in city traffic, particularly during evening hours, between 2015 and 2018 was also reflected in the traffic index values.

THE BUSIEST DAYS OF THE WEEK HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED

According to the results of the “Traffic Index Comparison” by day of the week, traffic congestion was found to be highest on Monday mornings—the first workday of the week—and on Friday evenings, while it remained at its lowest level on Sundays. Meanwhile, the traffic index, which stood at 51 percent during Monday morning peak hours in 2015, dropped to 41 percent in 2018; during Friday evening peak hours, it fell from 68 percent to 56 percent.

NUMBER OF DRIVERS USING OLDER BRIDGES DECREASED BY 12 PERCENT

According to the study, as vehicles began using the Eurasia Tunnel, the average daily number of vehicles passing through the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge decreased by approximately 12 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year. With heavy-duty vehicles using the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, the total number of vehicles crossing the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in 2017 decreased by approximately 12 percent compared to the previous year. In 2017, although the number of vehicles registered for traffic in Istanbul increased by 5 percent compared to the previous year, a 3 percent decrease was observed in the number of vehicles crossing between continents. As a result, traffic wait times on the D-100 Highway and the TEM Expressway decreased.

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