Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş keeps his promise of a bicycle path to the citizens of the capital. President Yavaş, who pressed the button for the 53,6-kilometer bicycle path project after starting his duty, wanted the name of Umut Gündüz, who lost his life, to be kept alive on the 2,5-kilometer 1st stage bicycle path completed on the National Library-Beşevler route. Many cyclists from ambassadors to Ankara City Council components attended the first riding event organized by the General Directorate of EGO.
As soon as Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş took office, he realized the "Bicycle Road Project", one of his promises to the people of the capital.
Following the completion of the bicycle path on the National Library-Beşevler route, the first phase of the 53,6-kilometer project, the first driving activity was organized by the General Directorate of EGO.
To the event broadcast live on ABB TV; EGO General Manager Nihat Alkaş, Ankara City Council Executive Board Chairman Halil İbrahim Yılmaz, Estonian Ambassador Annely Kolk, Czech Ambassador Pavel Vacek, bicycle associations and many bicycle lovers attended.
THE NAME OF HOPE GÜNDÜZ WILL LIVE ON THE BICYCLE ROAD
Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş wanted the name of 2,5-year-old Umut Gündüz, who died while cycling on the completed 1-kilometer 19st Stage bicycle path, to be kept alive.
Stating that they fulfilled this request of Mayor Yavaş in the first driving event, EGO General Manager Nihat Alkaş said:
“We want to keep the name of our Umut, who closely follows our bicycle path project and shares the happiness and hope in his family and environment by informing his family and his environment about the developments in the process, in line with the request of our Mayor, Mr. Mansur Yavaş, in the 1st stage of the bicycle path. We hope that Umut Gündüz will be a light and guide us at every moment of this project, and we want to do our part as an institution to expand the bicycle path network to all of Ankara in order to make Ankara traffic safe for cyclists. We will achieve this by joining together with all our stakeholders, especially Ankara City Council and Non-Governmental Organizations, as has been the case until today. "
Speaking at the event, Ankara City Council Executive Board Chairman Halil İbrahim Yılmaz stated that they commemorated Umut Gündüz, who lost his life after being hit by an alcoholic driver while riding his bike last July and said, “The pain of our brother is still in our hearts, his beloved family is also here. It is also valuable for us that our Mayor of Metropolitan Municipality, Mr. Mansur Yavaş and our General Manager Nihat Alkaş, made the first awareness activity of these roads in memory of Umut Gündüz ”.
Umut Gündüz's mother Asuman Gündüz and her father Menderes Gündüz had emotional moments, meeting with cyclists on the route where the memory of Umut Gündüz will be kept alive. Menderes Gündüz said that his son Umut Gündüz gave the project news to them and said, “My son Umut was aware of this project and we were very excited when he gave his first good news. This project is very valuable and a great achievement for Ankara. We were delighted to be named after our son on the bicycle path. Hope was a cycling athlete. It makes us happy that such sad events are crowned with such beauties. We want bicycle paths to be supported. I thank Mansur President very much. I am sure that these blue roads suit Ankara very well, and this will be the future ”, he shared his thoughts.
BICYCLE NETWORK WILL EXPAND FOR A HEALTHY CITY
Expressing that after completing the National Library-Beşevler route, they will continue to work for other routes at full speed, Nihat Alkaş, General Manager of EGO, drew attention to the importance of bicycle paths in transportation planning.
transportation planning in Turkey while expressing only be based on the motor vehicle Alkaş found the following assessment:
“With this environmentally friendly project, we want to change the transportation concept, go beyond the usual practices and highlight people-oriented transportation models with bicycle paths that will surround Ankara. Our first priority in the route selection of our bicycle paths is to integrate them into public transport systems. For this reason, it is aimed to facilitate transportation and reduce the use of private vehicles with our bicycle path integrated to the National Library-Beşevler Metro Stations. We continue to work towards this goal for the remaining 8 routes. "
Emphasizing that they aim to reduce air and noise pollution, traffic congestion, fossil fuel use and carbon emission rate in urban areas, Alkaş also shared the following information:
“With a grant of up to 60.000 Euros from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), technical studies and analysis studies were carried out on bicycle paths, and engineering studies and projects were completed. There are 10 university campuses, 2 industrial zones, over 30 public institutions, over 40 schools, as well as sports complexes, hospitals, shopping malls and many parks on these routes. The total route is 53,6 km. A total of 410 thousand people live within walking distance of the bicycle paths route. 109 thousand of them are young population. In addition, 322 thousand students receive education in the campuses located on the routes. There is a total of 65 thousand vehicle ownership on all routes. All bike path routes connect to metro stations. It is aimed to connect the bicycle paths used in transportation with the bicycle paths used in other universities and OIZs. "
BICYCLE ROADS WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH METRO AND ANKARAY
Stating that Adnan Ötüken, Eser and Anıtpark and Anıtkabir, Başkent University Hospital, Beşevler Metro Station and dense residential areas are located on the two-way 1st stage between the National Library and Beşevler, which is opened to service, Alkaş said, “This corridor is the route where university students are densely located and used. . This route will also connect ANKARAY and Metro line. With the opening of this stage, transportation between these two stations will be provided by bicycle. "It is planned that tenders will be launched for the remaining 8 routes in 2021 and all of them will be completed as soon as possible."
EGO General Manager Nihat Alkaş explained the other 8 routes planned to be built as follows:
2nd Stage - Universities Route
3rd Stage - Ümitköy-Etimesgut Route
4th Stage - Eryaman West Route
5th Stage - Eryaman Göksu Route
6th Stage - Batıkent-İvedik Ostim Route
7th Stage - Sıhhiye-Cebeci Route
8th Stage - Ankara Metropolitan Municipality-AKM Route
9th Stage - MTA-TOBB Route
UNIVERSITIES COME TO BICYCLE ROADS, THE SMART PROJECT IS NEXT
Alkaş said that in addition to the project consisting of 9 stages in coordination and cooperation with Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Department of Science Affairs upon the intense demand from students and rector's offices, they have also provided universities with bicycle paths, saying, “4,4 kilometers in Başkent University Bağlıca campus and 2,6 at Gazi University campus. "We have expanded the bicycle path network by completing the cycle path of 1,2 kilometers in the campus of the University of Turkish Aeronautical Association and 2,6 kilometers in Anadolu OSB in a short time."
Bike Path Project of the European Union Delegation to Turkey in Ankara with the SMART Project began explaining that Alkaş said:
“Within the scope of SMART Project; 408 electric bicycles that citizens can rent and serve without a station, 34 charging / parking stations to charge electric bicycles in the city, bicycle carrying apparatus to be attached to 480 EGO buses, 1290 meters bicycle ramp to facilitate carrying bicycles on the stairs of subway stations, field for bicycle rental 2 pick-up trucks to be used for operations and 2 bicycle counters to measure bicycle use.
AKK CHAIRMAN YILMAZ: "USING BICYCLE FOR HEALTHY LIFE WILL ALSO IMPROVE THE CAPITAL ECONOMY"
Ankara City Council Executive Board Chairman Halil İbrahim Yılmaz, who participated in the first driving activity of the completed 1st Stage bicycle path, expressed the importance and determinations of the project, which was implemented with the motto "Two wheels is enough for us", and expressed the following words:
“Our consumption and luxury habits that changed with the advancing technology created an inactive society. In this process, we have come to talk about the need to act more in daily life for our health. Many countries today determine state policies against inactivity and work on practices. We live in a city with a very low rate of bicycles with 4 cars per family. It was our pain that the rate of cycling in a 100-year-old capital city was 3 percent. He evaluated the right existing in the Constitution and the Highways Traffic Law as valuable, not an election promise to Ankara residents. Our Metropolitan Mayor and our Metropolitan Municipality. It is very important that the bicycle reduces the expenditures on other means of transportation, provides flexible movement and brings commercial mobility to the city center. For example, in a study conducted by the New York City Council, it was found that shops with bicycle lanes sell 49 percent more than streets with no bicycle lanes. This is proof that trade will also develop if we use a pedestrianization and bicycle path in Bahçelievler 7th Street, which we are next to. In Washington, the use of bicycles contributes 3 billion dollars to the economy. In Germany, on the other hand, 12 billion euros of earnings are recorded. The research of the World Health Organization records that if the whole of Europe goes to Copenhagen and pedal, it will create job opportunities for 76 thousand people. In other words, bicycle is not only a tool for health but also for economic development. "
CAPITAL BICYCLESEVERLER MADE THE FIRST DRIVE ON LIVE BROADCAST
While the interviews of the Head of the EU Delegation Ambassador Nikalous Meyer-Landrut and the Dutch Ambassador Marjanne de Kwaastenient were broadcast live on ABB TV, the founder of Pedal Women, Burçin Tarhan and her 30-person cycling group made the first test drive from Eserpark to Beşevler. .
Ankara City Council Bicycle Council President Kadir İspirli, who attended the first riding event, said that they were excited to participate in this ride with all cyclists, while Ankara City Council Disabled Assembly President Ersan Petekkaya said, “We are very happy that such a project is implemented in Ankara. There is our disabled brother Selin among us and he rides his bike today ”.
Estonian Ambassador Annely Kolk, who cycled on the bicycle path between the National Library and Beşevler, said, “I am a cyclist myself. I had a lot of fun in this event. It is not a beautifully built, hilly road, it is comfortable to drive. I find this project very important, a very important action. In a world with global warming and environmental pollution, everyone should take its steps and continue with this approach. As Ankara is a big city, this project is also a great innovation. I highly appreciate the efforts and vision of Mayor Mansur Yavaş. “I am honored to attend this cycling event today”.
Stating that they have been waiting for bicycle paths to be built in Ankara for years, Cycling volunteer Onur Şanlı said, “Ankara has longed for bicycle paths for years. We were experiencing the sadness of this. We, as cycling volunteers and voters, really thank Mansour President for making these roads. We say get out of the car, ride a bike ”and expressed his happiness.
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