Istanbul Traffic Grinds to a Halt: 90% Congestion on Asian Side
Istanbul, February 17 – The morning commute in Istanbul on Tuesday saw significant traffic congestion, with the intensity reaching up to 90% on the Asian Side. Both the D-100 highway and the TEM Motorway, along with their connecting roads, experienced heavy traffic in numerous locations across both the Asian and European sides of the city.
Asian Side Experiences Severe Delays
On the Asian Side, the D-100 highway saw congestion starting from Tuzla and extending all the way to the entrance of the Eurasia Tunnel. On the TEM Motorway, traffic intensified from Sultanbeyli and continued up to the 15 July Martyrs Bridge. Congestion towards the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge began in Ataşehir and stretched to the bridge entrance. On the Şile Motorway, vehicles moved slowly from Altunizade to Ümraniye.
European Side Also Affected by Heavy Traffic
On the European Side, the D-100 highway in the Edirne direction experienced heavy traffic from Esenyurt to Beylikdüzü, and from Merter to İncirli. In the Ankara direction, traffic was slow between Beylikdüzü-Küçükçekmece and from Zeytinburnu to the 15 July Martyrs Bridge. On the TEM Motorway in the Ankara direction, vehicles struggled to move from the Haramidere TEM connection road to the Mahmutbey toll booths, and between Esenler and Bayrampaşa.
Public Transportation Hubs Overwhelmed
In addition to road traffic, tram, metro, bus, and metrobus stops were also crowded with citizens. Significant congestion was observed at major transfer centers such as Zincirlikuyu, Cevizlibağ, Uzunçayır, and Altunizade.
Congestion Reaches 90%
According to data from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mobile Traffic Map, the overall traffic density across the city was recorded at 78% in the morning hours. Congestion peaked at 90% on the Asian Side, while on the European Side, it was measured at 69%. As of 09:50 AM, the overall traffic density was reported as 71%.
The persistent traffic issues highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Istanbul residents during their daily commutes, underscoring the need for continued infrastructure development and public transportation improvements to alleviate congestion in the sprawling metropolis.
