A comprehensive report by the Dataritim Data Research Group has shed light on the staggering reality faced by residents of Istanbul, indicating that individuals living in the bustling metropolis spend an estimated 3.5 years of their lives stuck in traffic congestion.

Collaborating academics from Middle East Technical University (METU), Bahçeşehir University (BAU), Dokuz Eylül University (DEÜ) and Yeditepe University meticulously analyzed Istanbul's traffic patterns over a span of nine years, producing revealing insights.

The study, examining traffic flows across the city's extensive 5,084-kilometer (3,159-mile) road network, relied on GPS-based satellite data to monitor traffic conditions during morning, noon and evening hours.

Among the striking revelations in the report, it was highlighted that the average driving speed on primary roads throughout the week was recorded at 32.5 kilometers per hour. However, during peak evening hours, this speed drastically decreased to 21 kilometers per hour.

Remarkably, Istanbul residents spend an average of 5.5% of their daily lives, equivalent to around 80 minutes, in transit. Specifically, commuting a distance of 15 kilometers to and from the city consumes 30 minutes during morning hours and extends to 50 minutes during evening rush hours.

The study also uncovered that during less congested periods, the same commute takes 36 minutes, indicating that traffic congestion contributes to approximately 56% of the overall travel time.

During peak traffic hours, this congestion-related time expenditure spikes to 64%, signifying that 64 out of every 100 minutes spent in traffic are lost due to congestion.

The report further highlighted the consistency in traffic congestion throughout the year, pinpointing around 250 days annually where traffic conditions remained relatively consistent, excluding special days such as weekends, holidays and imposed restrictions.

A commuter in Istanbul, aged between 15 and 64, navigating the traffic twice daily on weekdays, spends approximately seven hours stuck in gridlock, equivalent to nearly a full workday each week. According to a recent report, almost 4.5 hours of this time are squandered due to congestion.

Accordingly, Istanbul's average life expectancy stands at 81 years, with around 3.5 years of one's life spent battling traffic, while time lost specifically due to gridlock nears the mark of 2.5 years.

Serkan Gürsoy, the founder of BAU's Big Data Analytics Program and spokesperson for the group behind the report, discussed the profound impact of the city's traffic woes. Drawing a parallel between being trapped in traffic and being stuck in an elevator, Gürsoy highlighted the sense of being "stranded," affecting millions daily.

He emphasized that the losses incurred encompass more than just wasted time, extending to energy, health, economic and quality-of-life setbacks, adversely impacting the city's progress.

Gürsoy highlighted the dual nature of cities; while offering opportunities, they also pose challenges. He stressed the importance of equal access to these urban opportunities, ensuring fairness in terms of comfort, time and economic expenses. Traffic patterns, he noted, can either restrict or diversify city dwellers' activities, potentially fostering inequalities in personal and social development and ultimately diminishing the city's overall quality of life.

Resolving the traffic conundrum, as Gürsoy indicated, is a formidable task, requiring a clear understanding of the problems for successful solution proposals. He underscored their efforts at Dataritim Data Research Group to illuminate these issues, increase measurement frequency and utilize smart technologies to reduce costs, reiterating the adage that effective management stems from accurate measurement.

During a survey, Istanbul residents were interviewed about their traffic experiences and proposed solutions.

Rahmi Ertekin shared his daily commute, taking the bus for approximately 2.5-3 hours to reach his destination. He highlighted the efficiency of the metro, where the same journey could be completed in just 40-45 minutes. However, Ertekin faced challenges during peak traffic hours when accessing the subway became cumbersome.

Mehmet Güldan, spending two to three hours daily in public transportation, expressed concerns about the drastic increase in travel times over the past six years, with what used to be a 20-minute commute now stretching to two hours. He recommended implementing an odd-even license plate system and integrating the metro bus into the metro system to alleviate traffic congestion.

Eren Tonbaş, traveling from Umraniye to Beylikdüzü every other day, lamented spending 1.5 hours on the road, often encountering breakdowns in the metrobuses and enduring multiple transfers, extending travel time unnecessarily.

Cumhur Kavdır, spending around three hours daily in traffic, shared his experience commuting between Acıbadem and Umraniye, often opting for a scooter to navigate traffic, especially during favorable weather conditions, effectively reducing travel time by half.

Kavdır attributed Istanbul's traffic congestion to the growing number of private cars, advocating for enhanced public transportation and reduced reliance on individual vehicles as key solutions.

Özgenur Kardoğan, commuting from Kartal to Umraniye for work, faced a daily ordeal of spending 4 to 4.5 hours on the roads, encountering traffic shortly after her early morning departure.

Bedrettin Yeli highlighted the need for ramps to facilitate scooter users' access to public transportation, suggesting that such infrastructure would significantly ease their commuting experience.

These findings paint a vivid picture of the intricate traffic dynamics in Istanbul, emphasizing the substantial impact of congestion on its inhabitants' daily lives and routines and urging for potential interventions to alleviate these prolonged traffic issues.