The Global Future Cities Programme aims to support the municipality in the preparation of a city-wide Bicycle Strategy and Master Plan, as well as assisting the pilot implementation development in a prioritized area of the city.

The recently prepared Transportation Master Plan for 2038, which is yet to be approved, proposes an extended network of bicycle roads; however, a Bicycle Transport Master Plan does not exist for Ankara. Additionally, as was demonstrated in the charrette that took place within the framework of the Programme, most stakeholders support the promotion of public transport systems, especially non-motorized mobility, as a main strategy for reducing traffic congestion in the central areas of Ankara.

The proposed intervention seeks to integrate a bicycle transportation system within the existing mobility network of Ankara. It will address systemic improvements between bicycle-pedestrian and bicycle-motor vehicle interaction, the feasibility of park and ride systems integration and the design of a bicycle road network. The pilot project will develop the first stage for implementing the Bicycle Master Plan in a specific area of the city. Furthermore, the overall strategy will include subsequent phases to extend the network from the pilot to a larger area and to city-wide in the mid and long term. Finally, communication campaigns and capacity building will be part of the intervention in order to ensure the sustainability and ownership of the final outcome by citizens and institutions
 

The Global Future Cities Programme aims to provide technical assistance and capacity building to the Çankaya District Municipality for improving the streets and the open public space of its neighbourhoods to favour a more liveable urban environment and to promote better quality of life.

The intervention targets neighbourhood scale actions and the incentive revolves around changing the streetscape, including cross-sections, towards better
open public spaces and urban quality. The development of living streets, designed primarily for the interests of pedestrians and cyclists, contributes to a more safe space, especially for children, elderly and women while, at the same time, reducing barriers for the disabled.

The approach to implement street redesign and upgrades, while increasing the proximity and accessibility of urban services and developing more accessible and safer open public spaces for pedestrians, has a high impact on the quality of life of residents. Furthermore, the streets are often catalysts for increasing urban economy and security and strengthening the sense of community identity and collective ownership.

The intervention will develop urban designs, implementation plans and replicable methodologies. Additionally, it will include neighbourhood design workshops, public information exchange tools and joint decision-making mechanisms at a local level. This localised planning approach can also use digital planning tools for better data utilisation and, potentially, be integrated into the nationwide Smart City Strategy currently being developed by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization.