US agency grants $5 million to Istanbul Municipality to improve transport network

ISTANBUL

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Trade and Developments Agency (USTDA) that will help authorities deal with the city’s notorious traffic congestion.

The respective agreement was signed on Sept. 22 in Istanbul at a ceremony attended by Istanbul Mayor Erkem İmamoğlu and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey David M. Satterfield.

“The grant will support the modernization and transformation of the city’s transportation network. USTDA’s assistance funds a pilot project to improve roadway congestion and optimize public transportation in Turkey’s largest city,” the agency said in a statement.

USTDA’s grant will support the installation of an artificial intelligence software analytics platform to evaluate Istanbul’s road traffic, optimize public transportation, manage traffic incidents and adapt to changing patterns.

Combined with other sensor and networking technology, the project’s data analytics tool, which will be provided by North Carolina-based SAS, will create a real-time picture of Istanbul’s traffic conditions, the statement added.

“I believe the data analytics platform granted by USTDA will make significant contributions to the digital transformation of Istanbul. This valuable cooperation will benefit all Istanbulites, and our good relations will only strengthen in the future,” said Ekrem İmamoğlu.

For his part, Satterfield said that the U.S. mission to Turkey was committed to supporting smart city development.

“We are delighted to partner with the city of Istanbul as it reimagines its transportation network,” he added.