Speaker
Description
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) have emerged as a key framework for addressing the transportation challenges of urban areas by emphasizing sustainability, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility. Developed within the European Commission’s policy landscape, SUMPs aim to integrate public transport, active modes like walking and cycling, and land-use planning into a cohesive strategy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and promotes equitable access to mobility. Despite their promise, SUMPs face critical challenges when applied to dynamic and rapidly expanding metropolises such as Istanbul, a city characterized by rapid population growth, increasing car ownership, and sprawling urban development (Rupprecht et al., 2019; Werland, 2020).
Istanbul’s SUMP illustrates how a framework designed for stable urban environments struggles to adapt to the complexities of a fast-growing city. While the plan aspires to promote sustainable modes of transport, it inadequately addresses integration with land-use policies and urban design. The fragmented pedestrian and cycling infrastructure highlights a disconnect between planning and implementation, resulting in limited utility for active mobility initiatives. Similarly, the absence of robust measures to curb private car use, such as congestion pricing or low-emission zones, undermines efforts to reduce traffic congestion and environmental impact (Przybylowski, 2018; Spadaro and Pirlone, 2021).
Additionally, Istanbul’s significant investments in rail transit expansion reveal a missed opportunity to integrate new infrastructure into a cohesive multimodal strategy. The lack of alignment between metro, tram, bus, and ferry systems exacerbates inefficiencies, limiting the potential benefits of these critical developments (Yaoundé SUMP Summary, 2019; Kiba-Janiak and Witkowski, 2019). The challenges faced by Istanbul emphasize the need for SUMPs to incorporate real-time data analytics and adaptive planning tools, ensuring that policies evolve with the city’s rapid changes (Wołek, 2014; Rutka et al., 2024).
Central to overcoming these challenges is the need for institutional changes in Istanbul’s administrative structure. The current framework, characterized by fragmented and distributed decision-making across multiple agencies, undermines the effectiveness of transportation planning. A restructured governance model that consolidates decision-making authority under a unified body is essential. This single, centralized institution should be tasked with integrating transportation and land-use planning, ensuring a holistic approach to urban mobility challenges. Without such institutional reforms, the successful implementation of SUMP initiatives will remain elusive, and the potential of these plans will be limited by inefficiencies and conflicting priorities across sectors.
Establishing stronger connections between transportation and land use is another critical institutional shift. Urban mobility cannot be effectively addressed in isolation; it requires close collaboration with urban design and development strategies. A governance framework that formalizes the relationship between these domains can enable more cohesive policies, facilitating the creation of mixed-use developments, transit-oriented projects, and pedestrian-friendly spaces. This alignment would not only enhance the feasibility of sustainable mobility solutions but also contribute to reducing commute times and improving overall quality of life.
This study proposes a reimagined SUMP framework for Istanbul, emphasizing land-use integration and transit-oriented development. Policies such as enhancing public spaces for pedestrians, expanding non-motorized transport networks, and introducing innovative car-use restrictions are essential to fostering a sustainable mobility culture. Moreover, effective stakeholder engagement, including citizens, policymakers, and private entities, is crucial for implementing inclusive and responsive strategies (Lindenaua and Böhler-Baedeker, 2014; Andréi and Papuc, 2021).
Istanbul’s experience offers valuable lessons for cities facing similar challenges, underscoring the necessity of adapting SUMPs to local contexts. By aligning long-term urban development goals with flexible, innovative mobility strategies, and implementing critical institutional changes, SUMPs can transcend their current limitations, providing transformative solutions for the cities of tomorrow. This paper aims to contribute to propose a vision for advancing SUMPs in rapidly changing urban contexts, offering a roadmap for sustainable and inclusive mobility planning.
References
Andréi, A.-C. and Papuc, I.-E., 2021. A sustainable urban mobility plan - solution for a city of the future? The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies.
Kiba-Janiak, M. and Witkowski, J., 2019. Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans: How do they work? Sustainability, 11(4605).
Lindenaua, M. and Böhler-Baedeker, S., 2014. Citizen and stakeholder involvement: A precondition for sustainable urban mobility. Transportation Research Procedia, 4, pp. 347–360.
Przybylowski, A., 2018. Sustainable urban mobility planning: Gdynia city case study. Ekonomia i Prawo: Economics and Law, 17(2).
Rupprecht, S., Brand, L., Böhler-Baedeker, S., and Brunner, L.M., 2019. Guidelines for developing and implementing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. Second Edition. Rupprecht Consult.
Rutka, A., Michnej, M., Zwoliński, T., and Gabory, M., 2024. Core indicators for monitoring the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan: A case study. Sustainability, 16(5632).
Spadaro, I. and Pirlone, F., 2021. Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and health security. Sustainability, 13(4403).
Werland, S., 2020. Diffusing Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning in the EU. Sustainability, 12(8436).
Wołek, M., 2014. Sustainable urban mobility plan as an instrument of urban transport policy. Logistyka, 4, pp. 3401–3410.
| Keywords | SUMP; Istanbul; Sustainable Transport; Dynamic Cities; Mobility Planning |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
