As the workday came to an end, a 9-day holiday period began in Turkey, leading to increased traffic in many parts of the city as people set off to spend the holiday in their hometowns or vacation destinations. According to Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Mobile Traffic Application, traffic congestion in the city was measured at 78% as of 6:40 pm. Traffic congestion was observed on the European side of Istanbul, particularly on the TEM Highway towards Edirne at the Mahmutbey toll booths.
On the TEM Highway towards Ankara, traffic congestion was reported at the Bahçeşehir Connection Road and Esenyurt toll booths. Traffic was slow on the D-100 highway from Avcılar to Beylikdüzü, as well as on the route from Yenibosna to the Golden Horn. Areas experiencing two-way traffic congestion included Halıcıoğlu, Okmeydanı, Mecidiyeköy, Zincirlikuyu, 15 July Martyrs Bridge, Hasdal, Seyrantepe, Okmeydanı-Hasdal TEM connection road, Büyükdere Avenue, and the Levent TEM access roads. The coastline road from Karaköy to Beşiktaş Square was also congested, causing delays for drivers.
On the Anatolian side, traffic congestion persisted on the D-100 highway between Kadıköy and Kartal, as well as on the TEM Highway at Ataşehir, Sancaktepe, and Ümraniye. The Şile Highway also experienced heavy traffic from Üsküdar to Ümraniye. Additionally, public transportation stations were crowded with passengers during the holiday period.
In the Düzce and Bolu regions, holiday traffic began as drivers set off to spend the holiday in their hometowns. Particularly on the Ankara-bound side of the highway, congestion was reported at Bolu Mountain Tunnel, Abant Intersection, and Köroğlu Park area. Traffic police, gendarmerie, and highway teams were working to ensure smooth transportation along the route. Cemalettin Saraç, the Head of the Traffic Control Department at Düzce Police Department, stated that necessary precautions had been taken for the holiday period.
Saraç mentioned that the expected traffic had begun to form by this time and that traffic had started to increase in the evening hours. Traffic teams were visibly present along the route with 12 teams to ensure a safe and smooth holiday period. Despite some minor accidents causing traffic to slow down, Saraç stated that there were no major disruptions and that traffic flow was being maintained. They were operating with 12 teams along the 55-kilometer highway and 48-kilometer D-100 road in the region to manage any issues that arose during the holiday period.
