Van Yüzüncü Yıl university feasibility study of the light rail system project

This thesis examines public transportation systems and rail systems as fundamental components of urban transportation. The study first examines the historical development of rail systems globally and in Turkey, and then evaluates the structural and functional characteristics of rail and highway systems used in public transportation. Subsequently, rail system types are comparatively analyzed from technical, economic, and environmental perspectives. Based on these analyses, rail vehicles and wheeled vehicles are compared in terms of performance, capacity, environmental impact, and sustainability criteria. The final section of the study evaluates the feasibility of an electric light rail system project on the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University campus in terms of technical features, route, and passenger capacity. The findings demonstrate that providing on-campus transportation with a light rail system will significantly contribute to environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and accessibility. In this respect, the study provides an exemplary model for rail system implementation on university campuses and aims to guide similar urban transportation projects in the future.