Joint Consensus on Transport in New City Center in Izmir

Common Consensus for Transportation in the New City Center in Izmir: İzmir's Bayraklı While the Salhane district of the district continues to evolve with new residences and business centers day by day, the increasing population and building density has brought up the traffic problem.
Bayraklı In the Salhane district of the district, 500 thousand people are expected to live and one and a half million people are interacting daily, while the region, which has become a center of attraction, continues to develop rapidly with residences and business centers. Along with the increase in the existing building and population density, this also brought up the traffic problem. Speaking about the future of the region, Özlem Şenyol Kocaer, the Izmir Branch President of the Chamber of City Planners, pointed out that transportation master plans indicate the magnitude of possible risks.
Emphasizing that it is essential to bring new solutions regarding transportation in the region, Kocaer noted that the current public transportation system is not capable of handling the future density. Stating that many projects are continuing in the region and the completed projects are still not fully filled, Kocaer said, “With the completion of the ongoing projects and the existing buildings reaching full population density, there will be a great increase in the number of people living and working in the region. With the increase in the number of people, the traffic density will increase in direct proportion. Anyway, the density on the main arteries such as Altınyol will grow exponentially. The first thing we need to do is to encourage people who come to the new city center not to use private vehicles as much as possible. For this, we have to improve the existing public transportation systems. Additional investments are required in the area in the metro and other rail systems. Bayraklı The pier should be activated to make more use of the citizens. Bicycle paths should be developed and people from the environment should be encouraged to come to the region with their bicycles. Car park exemption for money should never be applied in new buildings. Every building must have a parking lot, ”he said.
Speaking about the Körfez Tüpgeçit project, Kocaer said, “The money to be transferred to this project should be spent on the solution of the current and future traffic problem in the new city center. Systems existing abroad such as multi-storey metro systems should be examined and applied in the region. In addition, public institutions have to explain what kind of solutions they produce in this way. "There is no long-term plan yet," he said.
REPRESENTATIVES OF CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
Representatives of the construction sector, which has investments in the region, also agreed that long-term plans should be made and action should be taken as soon as possible. The President of the Contractors Federation (MÜFED), Necip Nasır, pointed out that their biggest problem is the transportation problem and said, “Our biggest problem as contractors is actually the transportation problem. The city should be planned and steps should be taken in this direction; Unfortunately, we cannot see the studies in this direction. Although the projects launched to save the day solve the problem temporarily, it deepens it in the long term. The city's 50-year plans should already be made. Investments should be made in public transport. For instance, metrobus lines like Istanbul can be built. All alternatives at hand should be evaluated, additional trips should be introduced by improving the existing rail system. "Maritime transport should be put on the agenda actively for this Region."
"ANTICIPATED MACHINES WILL BE LACKED"
Kavuklar Group Real Estate Development Group President Metehan Kavuk stated that the Ankara Street in the region has started to get stuck and said, “The current master plans are actually useful in terms of the current situation; however, existing constructions must be finished for the plans to be implemented. Ankara Street is already getting stuck. But there is a problem like this; construction will not end here anymore. The anticipated alleyways in the plan will be insufficient. As you know, one of the interconnections has been put into operation recently. It would not be right to say that public institutions do nothing. The region has more interconnections. In addition, public transportation definitely needs to be improved. There will be a much higher density of people and buildings in this region than currently predicted. There is a traffic density at the main center of all major cities in the world. You see this very intensely in New York. Although Chicago is a more organized city, there is this density. “We, as İzmir, need to put these cities on the table and examine them to see where they have lacked”.
"INTENSITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NOW"
Gözde Group Chairman of the Board, Kenan Kal, emphasized that the living conditions and quality of the new city center are important for Izmir residents. “All of us have great duties to build a livable city. There are many projects that are still under construction and will start in this region. This will naturally increase the density in the region and increase the traffic problem that already exists. No matter how much modern, quality buildings we produce, as long as people have serious difficulties in accessing them, it doesn't make much sense. Providing people with easy access to this area should be the primary goal. Public transport investments play a big role here. We must examine the cities of the world and make our long-term plans now. The region is very suitable for sea transportation. Bayraklı We have to establish a rail connection between the pier and the new city center. The sooner we, as İzmir, take our measures, the faster we will establish a healthy city center. Public institutions have a great responsibility here. We see that they are also making efforts in this direction. However, while making plans, the very serious intensity that will occur here in the coming years should be taken into consideration, ”he said.
"SOLUTIONS NEED TO BE PRODUCED"
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Folkart Yapı Mesut Sancak spoke about the transportation problem:
“We should consider the transportation issue as pedestrians and vehicles separately. In the image, we see that the physical access of the living areas east of the İZBAN line to the coastal areas west of the İZBAN line and to the sea is interrupted by the railway line. It is necessary to find solutions that will enable the city dwellers to access these areas more easily on foot or by vehicle. At this point, it is inevitable for the future to take the İZBAN line underground. Of course, this will have a serious cost. For central areas of this scale, the metro lines should be reconstructed in such a way as to bring the employees of the New City Center to their homes as soon as possible, these lines should be underground and the number of lines and voyages should be adapted to the needs.
In terms of vehicle traffic; Additional arteries that will ensure uninterrupted access to the new city center to both the coastline and the ring road must be created. Ankara Street, where 82 thousand vehicles pass by a day, is still insufficient for the New City Center, of which about 7 percent is used. In line with the future scenario that will occur if the whole area is constructed, by looking at the problem from the upper scale, work should be started from today on the whole Izmir scale. Nowadays, it is clear that the İzmir ring road has lost its ring road feature and that a new ring road is needed for İzmir in this respect. Actually, there are many topics and details to talk about, but I see only one solution. We have to do these together. In this concept of cooperation; relevant public institutions, relevant ministries, investors, we should all be. All existing problems are our problems. The studies to be carried out with common sense and joint action will be the solution of the problems of New City Center and Izmir. "