Creating a New Vision
Cycling is the ultimate clean energy vehicle. Photo by SUM-Türkiye.
In Sakarya, located about 160 kilometers east of Istanbul, retirees and working class residents use bicycles as their primary means of transport, but there is currently no infrastructure for them. SUM-Türkiye formed a partnership with Sakarya’s Transport Directorate to address this need. Experts from the Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE), a Dutch non-governmental organization, trained a local team on designing safe cycling corridors that meet international standards, as seen on study tours hosted by SUM-Türkiye of Malmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark. Sakarya’s pilot cycling corridor begins in the north along “Yazlik Caddesi”—a main thoroughfare for cyclists—into the city center.
The project, partly funded by the CIVITAS Initiative, aims to provide a safe and appealing environment for cyclists by creating world-class cycling routes, improving intersections, and educating motor vehicle drivers about sharing the road. The city looks to have a 'state of art' cycling network with the bicycle as an integral piece of the city’s transport infrastructure.
Did You Know?
A survey of 636 bicycle users in Sakarya found that nearly all riders—99 percent—are male, with an average age of 40 years old. Ten percent of them said they have been involved in a cycling accident. Half of respondents said they ride their bike to go to work. Most people said they prefer cycling because it is more economic and healthier than other modes of transport.
Photo by SUM-Türkiye.
