UYGAR Develops Solutions to Cities' Traffic Problems!

The transportation problems of Afyonkarahisar were examined at a panel organized by the Bahçeşehir University Transportation Application and Research Center (UYGAR).

The city's transportation and traffic problems were discussed at the "AFYONKARAHİSAR MUNICIPALITY URBAN PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION PANEL" , held in Afyonkarahisar on 4 July 2009 at the invitation of Minister of Environment and Forestry Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, with the participation of representatives of our University. In addition to Minister of Environment and Forestry Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, the meeting was attended by Afyonkarahisar Governor Haluk İmga, Afyonkarahisar Member of Parliament Halil Aydoğan, Mayor Burhanettin Çoban, Provincial Police Chief Ali Bilkay, Chief Public Prosecutor Nihat Erol, AK Party Provincial Chair Mehmet Zeybek, district mayors, members of the Afyonkarahisar Municipal Council and staff of the Afyonkarahisar Municipality Directorate of Zoning and Technical Works. At the panel, Bahçeşehir University UYGAR Director Prof. Dr. Mustafa ILICALI shared his experience on Principles and Selected Practices for Urban Transportation Planning, Prof. Dr. Ahmet YILDIZCI (İstanbul Technical University) on Urban Landscape and Pedestrian Path Examples, Prof. Dr. Ergun GEDİZLİOĞLU (İstanbul Technical University) on Traffic Problems in Cities and Examples from Afyon, and Prof. Dr. Mikdat KADIOĞLU (İstanbul Technical University) on Disaster and Emergency Management in Cities.

The final speech of the panel was delivered by Minister of Environment and Forestry Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu. Pointing out that short-term measures to resolve transportation problems in Afyonkarahisar must be planned, Minister Eroğlu once again emphasized the importance of urban transportation planning, saying: "Plans are very important. Goals cannot be reached without a plan. A city without a plan is like a sailing ship drifting with no idea which port it is heading for. Unfortunately, Türkiye has been late in planning. Unplanned urbanization began in Türkiye after 1950. We must attach great importance to planning. The cost of a lack of planning is very heavy. The worst plan is much better than no plan at all. Therefore, we must attach great importance to planning."

Prof. Dr. Mustafa ILICALI and the other panelists indicated that they were ready to provide the necessary support to resolve Afyonkarahisar's traffic problems, and it was decided to cooperate on solutions to all of the city's problems from now on.