Lane Patrol

Istanbul faces significant challenges in developing a safe, continuous, and comfortable cycling network. While the city plans to expand its network by over 150 km, existing infrastructure varies widely in quality and design, with discontinuities, sudden lane reductions, mixed traffic exposure, and slopes. Rapid urbanisation, dense traffic, and diverse topography further increase safety risks. Prior to the pilot, the city lacked systematic tools to evaluate cycling routes, identify hazardous segments, or compare alternative designs. Decision-making relied on fragmented GIS data and labour-intensive field observations, limiting scalability and consistency across districts.

The Lane Patrol pilot introduced a comprehensive digital framework to address these challenges. The platform integrates OpenStreetMap data, Mapillary imagery, GIS analysis, and the CycleRAP methodology to characterise streets and infrastructure attributes (including lane widths, signage, speed limits, road geometry and traffic flows). Missing data were completed manually or via Street View, while Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality CAD layers were incorporated into GIS to create a unified dataset.

The platform allows network-wide assessment leveraging CycleRAP risk levels and scenario simulations for the prioritisation of interventions. A two-day event including a public presentation and capacity building workshops ensured that technical staff and other decision-makers from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality could effectively use the tools and interpret outputs. By combining robust data integration, analysis, and planning capabilities, Lane Patrol enables evidence-based, city-wide decision-making, supporting Istanbul in designing safer, more connected, and scalable cycling networks, with a model replicable in other Turkish cities.