Mo' traffic, mo' problems: Istanbul to build floating carparks

Can't find a parking spot in Istanbul? Why not search for the nearest floating car garage?

According to Agence France-Presse, Turkey's largest city, visited by 9.7 million tourists every year, will be introducing "floating car parks" in an effort to relieve some of its "chronic traffic problems."

Old, out-of-service ferries will serve as the "floating car garages" near Istanbul's most congested areas, and will also house facilities such as cafes, art galleries, and various other recreation areas.  

The first floating car park will service approximately 400 vehicles and will cost $12 million, according to AFP sources. It is not yet clear when the project will be finished and ready for operation.

The floating car parks, along with the October opening of the sea tunnel that links two continents, is part of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's three mega projects for the country's largest city that is home to 16 million people. Erdogan also is planning to build a third airport in Istanbul as well as a new bridge across the Bosphorus.