Studies show residents of the bustling metropolis of Istanbul spend an estimated 3.5 years of their lives stuck in traffic congestion. The city, where more than 15 million people reside, has tried to ease the stress with new roads and more mass transportation vehicles, but high traffic levels still frustrate commuters. The issue may play a key role in voters' choice for the next mayor in March's municipal elections. Mayoral candidate Murat Kurum, a former environment and urban planning minister, has pledged to end it in his new campaign.

Kurum, nominated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Sunday, held his first meeting as the candidate with Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdülkadir Uraloğlu. The ministry oversees new mass transportation projects in the city. After the meeting, Kurum told reporters that they would address the traffic congestion issue and resolve it as soon as possible.

Apart from millions of its inhabitants who often commute from the Asian to the European part of Istanbul and vice versa for work, Istanbul is also one of the most visited metropolises in the world, packed with tourists year-round. The country's most famous city and its largest population, Istanbul remains the top draw for foreign visitors, welcoming millions of tourists. Particularly during the morning rush hour of 8 a.m.-10 a.m. and the evening rush hour of 5 p.m.-8 p.m., traffic in Istanbul is usually congested. These are the usual and anticipated peak hours of traffic. However, unexpected traffic can arise at any time and in almost any area of the city.

Traffic spikes are often witnessed before public holidays and during the start of school semesters. This raises questions about how traffic in the country's most populated city should be regulated, leading to proposals such as the system used in London – by levying a daily fare from vehicles entering the city center.

Kurum discussed ongoing projects to ease the traffic with Uraloğlu at their meeting. These include new metro and railroad routes that will expand the 339-kilometer (210-mile) rail network of the city. The government has already undertaken projects for more than 130 kilometers of metro lines and is currently working on expanding them by another 55 kilometers.

Ongoing projects expected to be completed soon include one connecting Kağıthane and Gayrettepe, which is scheduled to be inaugurated in the first quarter of this year. A part of the metro line connecting Kağıthane district to Istanbul Airport was opened last year. The 3.5-kilometer long line will be integrated into other lines, allowing commuters to travel between the Yenikapı coast and the airport. Another metro line will connect the Halkalı district to Istanbul Airport. The ministry is also working on a line connecting coastal neighborhoods of crowded Bakırköy on the European side to Kirazlı further north of Istanbul.

Apart from metro lines, a railway route will connect Kazlıçeşme and Sirkeci between Istanbul's Asian and European sides. A high-speed train line is also in the works and will link Istanbul to Edirne.

Under incumbent Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who will run again in March's elections for the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Istanbul is grappling with a failed municipality, from buses often breaking down or metro buses caught up in frequent accidents. Commuters also complain of delays in bus schedules. Imamoğlu faces criticism of delays in the municipality's own metro projects, with construction stalled in several sites, something Imamoğlu blames on lack of funding.

On Tuesday, Kurum visited İSTOÇ, a business hub on the European side of Istanbul, just a few kilometers away from Mahmutbey, a key intersection where traffic usually peaks in rush hours on workdays. He said they would establish new logistics centers to alleviate traffic, further distancing commercial vehicles from central parts of the city.

"Heavy commercial vehicles inside central parts of the city worsen the traffic. This traffic is a challenge for people residing here around İSTOÇ and businesses. An administration not taking steps to solve it with lasting investments adds to their problems. We have an emergency action plan we will implement to ease traffic around Mahmutbey," he said.