The place of bicycles in sustainable transportation and examination of the feasibility of bicycle roads; The case of Konya city

Factors such as industrialization that has not slowed down until today, unplanned urbanization with rapid population growth, and the increase in the number of motor vehicles cause climate change to be felt seriously. Many countries are adopting more sustainable policies to counter climate change. Sustainable transportation is at the forefront of these policies. At the same time, the concept of sustainable transportation gains more importance as the increasing transportation costs lead people to search for alternatives. In order to improve the quality of life in cities, developing sustainable solutions to transportation problems plays an important role.It is necessary to move away from motor vehicle-oriented approaches, for developing bicycle infrastructure and to increase the applications for encouraging the use of bicycles. The bicycle, which is accepted as a mode of transportation all over the world, is mostly used for sports purposes in our country. Since the increase in the number of motor vehicles causes negative social, environmental and economic effects, it is very important to ensure that the bicycle is used as a means of transportation. Although some studies have been carried out on this subject, there has not been enough awareness, and the use of bicycles has still not reached the desired level. Infrastructure investments, social activities and various events were insufficient for desired increase in bicycle use. Within the scope of this study, it is aimed to examine the feasibility of the bicycle road network created in Konya city center and to evaluate the bicycle usage situation on the basis of the widespread use of bicycles, which is seen as an important part of sustainable transportation. In this direction, a survey was conducted in Konya city, and the current situation of bicycle lanes and the needs of bicycle users were analyzed through observations and surveys. Solution proposals for the effective use of bicycle transportation in urban transportation systems are presented.