Istanbul traffic gridlocked as holidaymakers return

On the third day of the Ramadan Feast, Istanbul has been experiencing heavy traffic flow since the evening hours. The return of citizens who left the city for the holiday, combined with persistent rainfall, has significantly increased the traffic load on many main arteries.

At the entry points to Istanbul, vehicles formed long queues, particularly on the European side from the TEM Highway's Firuzköy section toward Avcılar. Drivers faced difficult moments on the TEM Highway in the Hasdal, Seyrantepe, and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge sections. On the D-100 highway, activity was observed in the Haramidere and Beylikdüzü areas. In the direction of Ankara, regional congestion occurred at the Halıcıoğlu, Okmeydanı, Çağlayan, and Mecidiyeköy points, as well as around the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.

Traffic slowed down on the coastal road connecting Karaköy to Beşiktaş Square and around the Dolmabahçe Palace. On the Anatolian side, vehicle traffic was notable in the direction of Edirne in the Kurnaköy Tolls area of the Northern Marmara Highway. Congestion for crossings from the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge to Europe began at the Çamlık Junction, and similar scenes occurred at the entrance to the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and at the Çamlıca Tolls.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ALSO CROWDED

While some drivers struggled to move in traffic, crowding was also observed in public transport vehicles. Tram, metro, bus, and metrobus stops were packed toward the evening; the rainy weather across the city also brought disruptions to transportation.

According to measurements from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Cep Trafik application, traffic density reached 60 percent on the city average. Density was recorded at 56 percent on the European side and 60 percent on the Anatolian side. While points on the D-100, primarily Kadıköy, as well as Maltepe, Kartal, and Pendik, experienced regional congestion, it was observed that citizens were trying to choose alternative routes on their way back.

News Source: 12punto