02.11.2026 14:44
In Istanbul, potholes forming on roads due to infrastructure works, rainfall, and worn asphalt are causing difficult moments for drivers. In Bayrampaşa, the repair cost of a car whose lower part was damaged due to potholes around a manhole cover came to 191,550 lira. While motorcycle riders and couriers draw attention to the accident risk, citizens in many districts are asking municipalities to repair the roads as soon as possible.
In many districts of Istanbul, potholes and deteriorations on roads caused by construction work, rainfall, and the deterioration of asphalt over time give drivers difficult moments in traffic while also causing damage to vehicles.
During the busy morning and evening hours, drivers struggle intensely to avoid being affected by potholes on the roads. Sudden maneuvers and braking increase the risk of accidents, disrupt traffic flow, and negatively affect transportation.
Drivers state that they are at risk and suffer financial damage due to deep potholes left open, especially after infrastructure work, at many points in the city, on main arteries and side streets, and they demand a solution from municipalities.
A 191,550-LIRA REPAIR BILL
The undercarriage of a car with license plate 34 AFF 601 traveling on 14th Street in Kocatepe Neighborhood of Bayrampaşa district was damaged due to potholes around a manhole cover. Following a report, police and municipal teams were dispatched to the area. While police prepared a report about the accident, municipal teams cleaned the oil flowing from the vehicle onto the road. The car was removed from the road with the help of a tow truck. One day after the accident, municipal teams repaired the potholes that had formed on the road. It was learned that an inspection conducted on the car after the accident revealed a repair cost of 191,550 lira.
HIGH ACCIDENT RISK FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS
Potholes and road defects pose a higher accident risk for motorcycle riders. Potholes in the asphalt, sudden level differences, and loose ground can cause motorcycle riders to lose balance. The depth of potholes filled with water after rainfall cannot be noticed. For such reasons, motorcycles can also overturn.
Drivers and citizens told Anadolu Agency reporters about the effects of potholes on traffic safety and the threats they create.
A motorcyclist in Beyoğlu said that because it was evening, he did not notice the pothole that had formed on Yeni Bostan Street, and that when he entered the pothole his motorcycle skidded and its mirrors broke. Residents of Ünre Street in Keçecipiri Neighborhood reacted to the depressions that formed on the road to school. The residents said, 'This is a school route; children use this road every day. We want the depressions in the road repaired as soon as possible before anyone is harmed or property is damaged.' A citizen who parked his vehicle on the roadside on Akman Street in Piyalepaşa Neighborhood also reacted to the situation, saying, 'Vehicles are entering the pothole, and muddy water splashes everywhere.'
COURIERS COMPLAIN ABOUT BAD ROADS
One of the professions most affected by bad roads is couriering. Couriers who cover long distances every day complain about potholes and road defects.
Motorcycle courier Muhammet Erdal, who stated that he constantly suffers due to the defects on Gerede Avenue in Pınartepe Neighborhood in Büyükçekmece, said the following:
'The roads are not being built. We have friends who are constantly having accidents. Frankly, we have no safety of life. We enter potholes and flip over. I had an accident in Beylikdüzü; my previous motorcycle was totaled. I had an accident on a bad road where no precautions had been taken. The other day I skidded again. No precautions are being taken.'
In the same district, on Çatalca Yolu Avenue, moments when a motorcycle rider narrowly escaped danger due to a pothole on the road were captured on a helmet camera. In the same area, the tires of some vehicles also burst due to the potholes. Drivers recorded the difficulties they experienced with mobile phone cameras.
IT THREATENS LIFE SAFETY AND VEHICLES' MECHANICAL PARTS
Potholes and road defects threaten the life safety of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians as well as the mechanical parts of vehicles. This situation reveals the importance of carrying out maintenance, repair, and inspection work on heavily used roads in a regular and serious manner. However, many drivers and pedestrians who use the same route every day find the roadworks insufficient and demand that municipalities start asphalting and repair work as soon as possible.
Rıdvan Erdikler, who runs a business in Hadımköy Neighborhood of Arnavutköy district, said that due to the deep pothole in front of his workplace, the rims of many vehicles have been broken or their license plates have fallen off. Erdikler, noting that despite reporting the situation to Highways and municipal teams many times, the pothole has not been filled, drew attention to the heavy vehicle traffic because the route is a main road, and asked authorities to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible.
MANHOLE COVERS POSE DANGER
Roadworks underway on Reşitpaşa Avenue in Avcılar district and the potholes that have formed affect drivers. Deep potholes formed on roads worn by weather conditions and heavy use give drivers difficult moments. Drivers who have difficulty advancing due to road defects worry that their vehicles will be damaged. Drivers reacting to the road problem in the area want the works to be completed as soon as possible and the deteriorated roads to be repaired and made safe again.
In the district, many potholes and deep cracks were also seen on Tesisler Yolu Avenue in Ambarlı Neighborhood. Mustafa Kırkben, who works in construction and tourism in the district, complained about the bad condition of the roads in the area.
Kırkben, stating that in recent days several vehicles had accidents because of the potholes and that manhole covers pose danger, said, 'There is a deep pothole at the base of this manhole cover where we are. Previously, when a speeding driver passed over that manhole cover, the undercarriage of his vehicle was torn off and thrown forward. These problems exist not only here but also in the center of Avcılar. After infrastructure work, the pothole in the road is simply left without being filled.'
NO CHANCE TO AVOID BY MANEUVERING ON THE METROBUS ROUTE
The same problem is experienced on the Metrobus route, one of the most important lines of urban public transportation. Potholes and deteriorations formed on the Metrobus road create a risk for vehicles operating on the line. It is not possible for Metrobus drivers to avoid potholes and defects on the road by maneuvering. While the Metrobuses are damaged, passengers are affected by the jolts.
HOW LONG WILL THESE WORKS LAST?
Rapid detection of road problems is important, as is a rapid solution. Works that have been ongoing for a long time on Tuna Avenue in Tuna Neighborhood of Esenler district affect both drivers and residents of the area. There are also power outages due to the works.
Neighborhood resident Sümeyye Mahmutoğlu, stating that they are in filth 24/7, that they cannot go anywhere because of the filth, and that this situation has continued for a long time, said, 'Municipalities are doing work, but how long will these works last? Most people now complain about this situation. We cannot open our windows; when we open them, we are left in filth. We are all complaining, the entire building and even the neighborhood. Our children are also affected by this situation. They cannot even go to school. The lower side is in the same situation. We want the works here to finish as soon as possible. " he said.
THE SERVICE IS CARRIED OUT IN A DEDICATED AND SUPERVISED MANNER
Another neighborhood resident, Ramazan Sever, stating that he was a retiree of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, criticized the works continuing for 6 months.
Stating that such a service could not be possible and that the service should be dedicated and supervised, Sever said the following:
"They start work around 08:30-09:00 in the morning and stop work at 16:00. They work with one excavator and one truck. Why are these people being tortured like this? What is the fault of these people, the shopkeepers, the citizens? You see the service; unfortunately, cars cannot move forward. When the vehicles go to the repair shop, enormous costs arise. So who will cover these costs? There has been no electricity for two days. We have also been experiencing problems with the internet for a long time. Unfortunately, there are infrastructure problems. Everywhere is covered in dust and smoke. "
I HAD TO SHAVE WITH MY PHONE'S FLASHLIGHT
Salih Aktaş, who works as a barber in the area, said that work has been ongoing continuously and that they frequently experience power outages due to the works. Aktaş said, "Last week I had no electricity for two days. I run a business here. We are suffering because of the power outages. I was in a very difficult situation for the past two days. I had to shave with my phone's flashlight. Our request from the authorities is that the works be completed as soon as possible and our grievance be remedied. " he said.
EXPOSED LIGHTING POLE CABLES POSE A DANGER
While drivers struggling not to enter the damaged roads and potholes in Şişli and Esenyurt create accident risks with their sudden maneuvers, serious damage also occurs to the vehicles' undercarriages.
In both districts, in addition to potholes in the roads, sidewalk works that have been ongoing for months due to infrastructure renewals are exhausting citizens.
Citizens who have to walk on the roads because of the road and sidewalk works that have been torn up and take a long time to build sometimes have accidents. Lighting pole cables left exposed during the works pose a danger.
Shopkeepers who are disturbed by the mud and dust complain that this situation negatively affects their business.
THE OPENED TRENCHES WERE LEFT OPEN
Infrastructure works carried out on the main artery in Küçükçekmece district have created safety concerns.
Sedat Keskin, the headman of İnönü Neighborhood, noting that Maslak Çeşme Street is a main artery and a very busy street, said that many students and citizens use the street, especially because it is a school area.
However, Keskin stated that, within the scope of the infrastructure works carried out on the main artery, the trenches that were opened have unfortunately been left open for 5-6 days, and he also mentioned that sufficient safety measures have not been taken. Emphasizing that dangerous situations have sometimes occurred because of this, Keskin noted the following:
"Children passing through here, citizens getting off the bus, and other pedestrians have faced serious danger. In fact, one of our citizens could not see the pit and fell into it. There is infrastructure work being carried out here. However, leaving the excavated pits like this creates a serious security threat. Do we absolutely need one of our citizens to get hurt or suffer property loss for the necessary measures to be taken? We want to draw attention to this situation. We want similar problems not to occur in future works, the necessary safety measures to be taken, and none of our citizens to be harmed. "
Emphasizing that he does not find it right for such scenes to occur in the heart of the city, Keskin explained that everywhere is full of mud and that shopkeepers and citizens are complaining about this situation.
OUR VEHICLES WORTH MILLIONS ARE BEING DAMAGED
Stating that they have to walk through mud in the city center, Keskin spoke as follows:
"Our children's shoes on their way to school become layered with mud. We do not want to encounter such a scene at this time. We are extremely distressed by what has happened. We want the relevant institutions to act sensitively on this issue, show the necessary care, and produce a solution as soon as possible. "
Keskin, also stating that the rainwater channels in the neighborhood are insufficient, said, "Rainwater infrastructure needs to be strengthened throughout Küçükçekmece and especially in İnönü Neighborhood. One of the reasons why some buildings are exposed to flooding is that rainwater channels are insufficient or absent. If the necessary measures are taken for these problems and permanent solutions are produced, our citizens can lead a more comfortable and problem-free life. We want the problems experienced to be eliminated by the relevant institutions as soon as possible. We do not want this to drag on so long. " he said.
Keskin, expressing that deformation may occur on roads when an urban transformation or infrastructure work is carried out, spoke as follows: "This is, of course, a natural situation. However, resolving the problems that arise should not take this long. We are suffering because the solution to the problem is delayed. We already have a traffic problem. The long duration of these works also adds an extra burden to traffic. Entering and exiting here in the morning and evening hours turns into almost torture for our citizens. "
Yusuf Ramanlı, a resident of 2nd Kanarya Street in Sultan Murat Neighborhood, also said that he has lived here for 50 years and emphasized that the road and sidewalk work on their street has been ongoing for 1.5 months and has still not been completed.
Ramanlı, stating that as street residents they have been victimized because of this situation, said that their vehicles worth millions have been damaged.
On 27th and 30th Streets in Ekşioğlu Neighborhood of Çekmeköy district, part of the road that was excavated within the scope of infrastructure works and covered with gravel stones also draws attention with its poor condition.
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