Public Transportation Oriented Istanbul Traffic Planning Project carried out by TÜBİTAK TÜSSİDE and IETT was successfully completed.
The first three packages of the project, which consisted of seven work packages, investigated how the existing transportation network changes in terms of comfort and density in the event of the creation of new rail/rapid bus transportation systems or the extension of existing routes. Within the scope of these work packages, algorithms for predicting transportation behavior and determining trip changes were developed and these algorithms were converted into local software. The system was also integrated with IETT's information systems. As a result of the analyses, heavy metro and bus rapid transit routes and station points were identified to relieve the existing system.
The traffic-related part of the project started with the acquisition and reporting of all data affecting Istanbul traffic, followed by the analysis of all traffic sensor information in Istanbul at the macroscopic level and the determination of corridor flow rates that would ensure the most efficient use of the roads. In these assessments, bottleneck points were also identified. In addition, at the microscopic level, simulations of ramp turnouts were performed to determine the effects of disciplined turnouts instead of free flow in flow management.
Since the scope of the project was determined as Istanbul traffic, not only public transportation and traffic planning, but also analysis of bicycle paths and new routes, land use changes and expansion directions, traffic accidents and hot spot analyses, and evaluation of the impact of new mega projects related to mobility and transportation were carried out. Field surveys were also conducted and the parameters that are effective for the transition from private car use to public transportation use were identified. Expert workshops were organized in another part of the field interviews, and the traffic problem was evaluated both in technical and socio-economic terms with public, private sector and academicians.
As the final work package of the project, ideal public transportation management and operation policies for Istanbul were discussed and recommendations were developed.
Since public transportation routes that will carry 500,000 or more people have been identified with the outputs of the project, findings on both the generation of new resources and the relief of the existing system have been obtained within the scope of public transportation-oriented research. In addition, it can be stated that with the recommendations for Istanbul traffic, which is stated to cost over 6 billion liras annually, both financial losses will decrease and people's quality of life will increase.
