The Northern Marmara Motorway and Its Effect on Sevindikli

The Northern Marmara Motorway changed the access story of the Sevindikli corridor. The short answer is this: the Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths of the motorway entered service in 2019 and connected the region directly to the main transport corridor between İstanbul and Kocaeli. This access gain is one of the most concrete factors that brought the inland corridor in northern Körfez onto investors' agenda.

What is the Northern Marmara Motorway?

The Northern Marmara Motorway is a large-scale motorway project that passes through the north of İstanbul and connects the main routes in the Marmara region to one another. Different sections of the motorway were opened to service in stages. Large transport projects of this kind increase the accessibility, and therefore the visibility, of the regions they pass through.

The section that concerns us is the Kurtköy-Akyazı section of the motorway; this section covers the corridor in which Sevindikli is located. In other words, Sevindikli is located on this large corridor, at a point that is directly affected. There is a big difference, in terms of access, between a region remaining on the edge of such a corridor and being located directly on it; Sevindikli is on the positive side of this difference.

When did the Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths open?

The Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths on the Kurtköy-Akyazı section of the motorway entered service in 2019. The importance of these booths lies in their locations: they are located in the centre of the region. In other words, the investor in Sevindikli and its surroundings, instead of going to a connection point far from the motorway, joins directly from within the corridor.

The presence of a motorway toll booth right in the centre of a region is not an ordinary detail. This means a time and distance advantage for everyone who wants to reach the region. The easier the access, the more the region becomes reachable for a wider audience. This access, which has effectively existed since 2019, is not an expectation but a realised gain; this makes it a solid ground in investment evaluation.

Opening a motorway toll booth in a region turns that point into a stop on the map. When the access distance shortens, the region becomes a place a wider audience can reach.

Why is it important that the toll booth is in the centre of the region?

For most regions, getting onto the motorway requires reaching a connection point a few kilometres away. In Sevindikli the situation is different. Because the Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths are located in the centre of the region, the exit distance is minimised. This is a practical advantage felt in daily use.

A toll booth located in the centre saves time both for those who want to come to that region and for those who want to leave the region and head towards İstanbul or Kocaeli. This ease of access is among the leading factors that make the region a visible point on the map. In the long term, ease of transport affects a region's livability and investment profile together. Surrounding corridors such as İlimtepe, Tütünçiftlik and Yarımca are also part of this access network; the centrally located toll booth connects this entire surrounding area to one another and to the main corridor.

What did Sevindikli gain in transport?

With the opening of the toll booths, the accessibility of the region increased markedly. We can list the practical gains as follows:

• Proximity to İstanbul. Access of about 15 minutes to the İstanbul (Tuzla) provincial border brings the region closer to İstanbul's expanding sphere of influence.
• Connection to the centre of Kocaeli. A distance of about 35 km to the centre of Kocaeli (İzmit) becomes more practical with motorway access.
• Relationship with the district centre. The corridor of about 20 km to the centre of the Körfez district keeps the region tied to the district services.

In daily transport, the KM35 bus line of the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality also provides access to the region; so connection is possible both by private vehicle and by public transport. This two-way access makes the region reachable not only for vehicle owners but also for a wider audience. The presence of public transport is a meaningful gain not only in terms of investment but also in terms of livability, because it strengthens a region's tie with daily life.

How does transport affect land value?

Among the leading topics that determine value in real estate are location and accessibility. When a region becomes more easily reachable, the interest in that region expands. The expansion of interest is a factor supporting demand in the medium to long term. Demand, when it combines with limited supply, keeps value alive in the right location.

One must speak with measure here: a transport gain is not on its own a definite promise of return. Motorway access takes on meaning when it combines with the zoning status and title deed clarity. In other words, proximity to a toll booth is not sufficient on its own when it does not combine with the right parcel. A parcel with no frontage, problematic access or an uncertain zoning status may not carry the expected value even if it is close to the motorway. Our article on the up-to-date investment analysis of the Körfez district, in which we evaluate the region as a whole, addresses this balance in a wider frame.

What does this mean for the investor?

Motorway access turned Sevindikli into a corridor from which one can commute to İstanbul daily. This made the region visible not only locally but also for investors who want to move away from the density on the İstanbul side. In a period when prices in İstanbul are hard to reach, accessible neighbouring corridors naturally attract interest.

What matters from the investor's point of view is matching the access advantage with the right parcel. Access is a starting point; the decision takes shape through the title deed, zoning and frontage status of the parcel. Our comprehensive investment guide prepared for Sevindikli, in which we gather the whole of the region, the distances and the things to watch out for, helps you tie the motorway gain to parcel selection. To follow the official announcements about the motorway and the region, you can watch the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality page.

Is motorway access sufficient on its own?

No. Motorway access is a strong advantage, but it does not on its own make an investment right. The value of two parcels close to the same toll booth can be very different from each other because of the type of the title deed, the zoning status, the share structure and the road frontage.

For this reason, the transport gain must always be considered together with parcel examination. We can briefly summarise the topics that need attention as follows:

• Title deed clarity. The type, owner and annotation status must be checked.
• Zoning status. The zoning conditions of the parcel and its relationship with the region's agenda.
• Frontage and access. As much as proximity to the motorway, the actual road condition of the parcel is also important.
• Long term. Land investment is a matter of patience; value most often forms over time.

The commonly made mistakes on a parcel close to the motorway also arise from neglecting these topics: trusting the as-the-crow-flies proximity and not checking the actual road access, putting proximity to the toll booth in place of zoning clarity, or ignoring the uncertainty in a shared title deed. In other words, the motorway prepares the ground that makes the region attractive; the right parcel, however, makes your investment meaningful on this ground. Evaluating the two together is the essence of a measured and sound investment approach. Our guide on the title deed examination before purchase, which examines the title deed side in detail, is by your side while you make this match.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths open?

The Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths on the Kurtköy-Akyazı section of the Northern Marmara Motorway entered service in 2019. Because these booths are located in the centre of the region, Sevindikli and its surroundings join directly from within the corridor without going to a connection point far from the motorway. This access, which has effectively existed since 2019, is not an expectation but a realised gain.

How much closer did the motorway bring Sevindikli to İstanbul?

With motorway access, a distance of about 15 minutes to the İstanbul (Tuzla) provincial border was created; this turned Sevindikli into a corridor from which one can commute to İstanbul daily. The same access also makes practical the connection of about 35 km to the centre of Kocaeli (İzmit) and about 20 km to the centre of the Körfez district. So the region stays tied both to İstanbul and to the district services.

Why is it important that the toll booth is in the centre of the region?

In most regions, getting onto the motorway requires going to a connection point a few kilometres away. The Sevindikli-İlimtepe toll booths, however, are located in the centre of the region, so the exit distance is minimised. This is a practical advantage felt in daily use that saves time both for those who come to the region and for those who head towards İstanbul or Kocaeli.

Can Sevindikli be reached by public transport?

Yes. Alongside motorway access by private vehicle, in daily transport the KM35 bus line of the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality also provides access to the region. This two-way access makes the region reachable not only for vehicle owners but also for a wider audience and strengthens the region's tie with daily life.

Is proximity to the motorway sufficient for land?

No, it is not sufficient on its own. Motorway access is a strong advantage and prepares an attractive ground; but even the value of two parcels close to the same toll booth can be very different because of the type of the title deed, the zoning status, the share structure and the road frontage. The access gain must always be evaluated together with title deed, zoning and frontage examination.

May you have a place of your own. If you would like to get information and an appointment for the opportunities on the Northern Marmara Motorway Sevindikli corridor, contact us on our line at +90 532 295 17 61.