City Planning Project IV-II
Enhances individual research capabilities by guiding students through hypothesis formation, theoretical framework development, and the synthesis of innovative solutions to urban and rural spatial challenges.
Research-Driven Spatial Problem Solving
Focusing on individual research skills and analytical rigor, this lecture is dedicated to developing the ability to address urban and rural spatial challenges through scientific inquiry. Students are encouraged to formulate hypotheses, construct theoretical frameworks, perform detailed analyses, and synthesize findings into coherent, actionable planning proposals. This course emphasizes a research-based approach, guiding students through the complete process of engaging with real-world spatial problems—from initial investigation to the development of innovative design and planning solutions.
By nurturing critical thinking and methodological proficiency, the course aims to empower students to independently contribute to the evolving discourse in urban planning and design.
For a clearer understanding, I will elaborate on my project work for the second semester of my fourth year as an undergraduate in the following section:
Smart Transport Integration in Urban Mobility Planning
This project explores the integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) into urban transport modeling, focusing on the city center of Denizli. As a growing industrial hub, Denizli faces increasing traffic congestion despite possessing a foundational ITS infrastructure. ITS holds the potential to enhance travel quality and address the challenges faced by all transport users—including pedestrians, cyclists, public transit users, and drivers—through a holistic approach.
In this study, the existing transport network in Denizli is evaluated and adjusted to optimize the performance of ITS technologies. Key urban mobility issues are identified based on the current state of pedestrian, bicycle, public transit, and motor vehicle systems. Additionally, global ITS applications and their environmental, social, and economic benefits are analyzed to inform tailored solutions for Denizli’s unique urban structure.
Using Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) standards, traffic density calculations are conducted based on current land use and zoning plans. These calculations reveal mismatches between planned land use and the capacity of the existing transport network, particularly in central neighborhoods and future development zones. As a result, the study proposes strategic modifications to zoning and transport policies, including customized solutions for different urban zones and specific scenarios such as peak hours and emergency conditions.
By aligning global ITS best practices with local urban dynamics, this project demonstrates how smart mobility integration can lead to more efficient, livable, and sustainable urban environments.
Transportation Structure Analysis in Denizli
ITS must be approached holistically. Therefore, each component of the urban transportation system should be examined individually and in detail. In this context, transportation analyses have been conducted under separate categories, focusing on pedestrian mobility, bicycle transportation, public transit, motor vehicles, and traffic operations.
Pedestrian Mobility Analysis
Pedestrian surveys are essential for understanding walking habits in the city and identifying key problem areas. These studies help pinpoint where pedestrian-related issues are most concentrated and should serve as a foundation for decision-making in pedestrian planning. Transportation policies affecting pedestrians must be evaluated carefully, and actions should be based on the data obtained. In addition, it is crucial to monitor how pedestrian flow evolves and changes across the city over time.
In the peripheral neighborhoods of Denizli’s city center, pedestrian mobility is relatively comfortable; however, access to the city center on foot remains limited.
In contrast, neighborhoods located closer to the city center—and the center itself—pose significant challenges for pedestrians, particularly for individuals with disabilities. The walking infrastructure in these central areas is often inadequate, restricting safe and inclusive pedestrian movement.
Bicycle Mobility Analysis
To promote the use of bicycles in Denizli, it is essential to ensure the presence of adequate bike parking facilities and to improve the safety of bike lanes. One of the major challenges in implementation is the insufficient width of many roads and the widespread issue of vehicles occupying street space for parking. To address this, designated parking bays and off-street parking areas should be introduced—potentially by narrowing sidewalks in select locations. This would help reclaim space for continuous and safe bicycle lanes, especially in narrower corridors. In the 2010 Transportation Master Plan, roads were categorized as suitable, conditionally suitable (requiring modifications), or unsuitable for bicycle use, as shown in the accompanying visualization. Additionally, a proposed bicycle route—developed based on detailed analyses and survey results—is also illustrated.
Although the central area of the city is generally suitable for cycling in terms of topography, designated bicycle routes that align with user demand have not been developed. As a result, the share of cyclists in the overall transportation system remains low.
Public Transport Analysis
One of the major challenges facing public transportation in Denizli is the overreliance on minibuses, especially given the limited number of alternative transit options. Minibuses play a significant role in contributing to traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours. An analysis of existing bus and minibus routes reveals gaps in service coverage, particularly in the northern parts of the city, where access to public transportation is severely limited. Although shuttle services provide another mode, their impact on main traffic arteries is minimal, as they primarily operate on internal routes.
Motor Vehicle Analysis
The analysis of motor vehicle transportation in Denizli focused on several key components, including parking areas, accident hotspots, high-traffic corridors, emergency response zones, and traffic-generating land uses. Each of these elements was examined in detail under a structured classification to better understand their impact on the overall traffic flow and urban mobility.
Parking Analysis
Due to Denizli’s relatively advanced textile and industrial sectors, vehicle ownership is high, leading to significant parking demand, especially in areas with dense commercial and institutional activity. While residential neighborhoods without major commercial functions generally experience fewer parking issues, city center districts such as Saraylar, Sırakapılar, Altıntop, and 15 Mayıs face severe shortages due to business intensity, hospital proximity, or unplanned urban growth. Although many parking facilities exist, inadequate design, enforcement issues, and limited regulation often reduce their effectiveness. Strategic parking management—such as promoting shared parking, improving signage, and prioritizing short-term parking near high-demand areas—is essential. Furthermore, constructing multi-level or underground parking near, but not directly within, the city center, and relocating major traffic-generating land uses outside the core, could significantly improve both traffic flow and parking availability.
Accident Hotspots & Peak-Hour Congestion Corridors
An analysis of Denizli’s urban traffic network reveals a strong correlation between accident-prone locations and corridors experiencing heavy congestion during peak hours. Notably, streets such as Ulus and Ali Dartanel have witnessed a significant rise in accidents, while major arterial roads like İzmir, Ankara, and Acıpayam have seen a decrease. The overlap between high accident frequency and congestion points highlights the need for targeted interventions in these critical intersections. Any future transportation framework should prioritize improvements along heavily intersected and high-risk corridors to enhance both safety and traffic flow.
Neighborhood-Based Traffic Density Analysis
Current Traffic Densities Based on the Land Use Plan
Current traffic densities in Denizli were calculated using land use data, focusing on residential, mixed-use residential-commercial, commercial, industrial, and university zones within each neighborhood. Trip generation estimates were made based on ITE standards, assigning different trip rates to each land use type. The results show that the highest traffic density occurs in the central Saraylar neighborhood, followed by Sümer, Adalet, and Hacıkaplanlar. Traffic density generally decreases outward from the center. A spatial pattern is also evident in how land uses contribute to traffic: commercial activities are concentrated around the central intersection known as Üçgen, mixed-use development dominates the south, residential areas the west, and industrial zones the north.
Projected Traffic Densities Based on the Zoning Plan
When analyzed using standardized trip generation rates, the zoning plan reveals notable changes in traffic densities across several neighborhoods. In the northern part of the city, where vacant parcels currently dominate, new commercial zoning is expected to shift some of the traffic burden away from highly congested areas like Saraylar. However, in many central neighborhoods, traffic loads are projected to increase due to expanded commercial designations, while the influence of industrial zones appears to have been reduced within the city center.
Current Traffic Management Zones
Analysis of current traffic densities reveals that land use types contributing to congestion are spatially clustered, allowing for the creation of distinct traffic management zones. Each of these zones has been addressed with tailored development strategies to manage local transportation challenges effectively. The overarching goal is to prevent uncontrolled spatial and functional expansion of the city center, limit industrial sprawl after current capacities are met, and guide residential growth toward the northwest without encroaching on transitional zones. Specific strategies have been developed for each zone, focusing on daily traffic flow, emergency response, and freight logistics. Within daily management, issues related to pedestrian circulation, parking, public transport, cycling, and vehicular traffic are addressed, with additional measures tailored to peak hours and weekends.
Synthesis and Strategic Proposal Map
Following the analysis phase, a comprehensive synthesis map was produced to highlight areas in Denizli’s city center where transportation issues are most concentrated. This map serves as a foundational tool for developing a new urban transportation framework and provides a clear overview of the critical problem zones within the central area.
In addition to technical analyses, surveys were conducted both in central urban areas and through digital platforms to gather residents’ opinions on the city’s main problems. Participants identified urban planning (70.8%) and transportation/traffic (60.4%) as the most pressing issues. Regarding traffic-specific issues, the most frequently cited problems were insufficient parking (81.3%).
Drawing on both the synthesis of spatial analyses and public survey results, smart transportation strategies were developed for areas where mobility problems are most severe. The proposed measures include pedestrianization, congestion pricing, smart terminals, intelligent road systems, bicycle infrastructure, improved signalization, digital mobility applications, alternative route planning, and smart parking solutions.
A strategic proposal map was created to align these smart transportation measures with the specific locations where problems are most concentrated. This map outlines tailored management decisions for each area, aiming to directly address the identified challenges and improve overall traffic flow and accessibility in the city center.
Proposed Transport Network for the City Center
Based on the analysis and proposed strategies, specific transportation management decisions were developed and mapped onto a redesigned transportation network for the city center. To alleviate central congestion, Adalet and Çamlaraltı neighborhoods were identified as suitable secondary hubs, with a new transport system proposed to strengthen their connections with the main center. A tram line with transfer points was introduced, and congestion pricing zones—similar to the London model—were suggested for high-traffic areas, alongside designated low-emission zones with restricted access for heavy vehicles. The plan also includes road widening, pedestrianization, and the installation of smart barriers that regulate access based on traffic volume. Intermodal transfer points were strategically placed according to the geography and suitability for different modes of transport.
The entire proposal is grounded in detailed traffic density calculations, which revealed clusters based on land use types. The approach emphasizes addressing transportation issues within each land use group while ensuring effective interconnection between them. Ultimately, this study shows that urban planners can play a central role in smart transportation systems by identifying high-density areas, analyzing contributing land use types, and guiding both internal development and external connectivity through informed planning decisions.
The effectiveness and benefits of the proposed smart transportation applications were assessed through comparisons with international case studies where similar technologies have been implemented. For example, integrating smart grid technologies, as seen in San Francisco, is projected to significantly boost employment in the energy sector, while smart lighting systems can increase the use of renewable energy sources. The adoption of smart water systems, inspired by practices in Colombia, is expected to reduce operational costs and fuel consumption through automated meter readings. Waste management improvements, based on the Groningen model, aim to lower labor and fuel expenses by optimizing collection routes. Barcelona’s smart transit solutions offer reduced travel times through real-time information systems and adaptive traffic lights. Additionally, California’s smart security technologies could help reduce public safety expenditures. These examples highlight the potential for Denizli’s proposed smart transportation strategies to deliver substantial economic, social, and environmental benefits. If successful, they could serve as a catalyst for wider smart mobility investments across Turkey. While initial implementation costs are high, long-term gains can be achieved with minimal additional investment once the systems are established.
To explore the project in greater depth, the complete document (in Turkish) is available for download here.