Kahramanmaraş Bicycle Path and Walking Trail

Kahramanmaraş Bicycle and Walking Path is a sports facility constructed in the city of Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, in line with urban recreation and sustainable mobility objectives. The facility has been designed as a comprehensive complex integrating physical activity infrastructure with social amenities and hobby areas.

The project was implemented by the Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality and initially opened to the public as a 9-kilometer continuous route. The development of the path has entered a new phase under the “Kahramanmaraş Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and Smart Bicycle Path” (SUMP Kahramanmaraş), announced in 2022. Within this framework, the existing infrastructure is targeted for expansion and technical modernization, with a total financing of 3.8 million euros allocated by the European Union Delegation, 85 percent of which is provided as a grant.^【1】

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The current path consists of a continuous 9-kilometer route with a total user capacity of 3,000, accommodating approximately 1,000 pedestrians and 2,000 cyclists simultaneously. Along the route, six outdoor fitness areas equipped with exercise equipment are distributed at different points. The facility also includes a car park with a capacity of 240 vehicles and a total of 720 bicycle parking stations. The path is integrated with bicycle lanes within the boundaries of Onikişubat Municipality.^【2】

The facility includes designated areas for social and recreational use. Among these are a model aircraft runway covering 1,976 square meters, designed for civil aviation activities, and a cafeteria building with a covered area of 560 square meters. These areas support the path’s function not only as a sports infrastructure but also as a social space.^【3】

The facility operates a fleet of 720 bicycles, including standard models as well as 130 bicycles equipped with child seats and family-type models accommodating two, four, and six riders. According to official data, the number of registered users of the bicycle system is approximately 18,000.^【4】

Under future planning, a smart bicycle path approximately 17 kilometers long is projected to connect the districts of Onikişubat and Dulkadiroğlu. This project, developed under the SUMP framework, aims to expand the current bicycle fleet with electric-assist bicycles, establish a station-based bicycle rental system integrated with a mobile application and the local transit card Kahramankart, and integrate the bicycle not only as a recreational tool but also as a component of urban transportation within the city’s traffic system.^【5】