Hear the highway sing – literally.
In a first for the country, Türkiye on Monday unveiled its "Melodic Road," a stretch of highway engineered to play a tune as vehicles drive over it, in what Infrastructure and Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu described as a unique innovation in transportation infrastructure.
The system produces musical melodies as vehicles pass over specially designed grooves in the road. The grooves are spaced at precise intervals so that when driven over at a consistent speed – typically around 100 kph (62.14 mph) – they generate vibrations and sounds that combine to play a recognizable tune.
The musical road project, carried out by the General Directorate of Highways under the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, was first implemented in a province in the capital Ankara.
"Each groove or marking on the surface is positioned to produce a different frequency corresponding to a musical note. When the driver maintains a steady speed, the resulting vibrations and sounds combine, allowing the intended melody to be heard," Uraloğlu said.
The pilot project was completed on the 21st kilometer of the Nallıhan-Beypazarı state road, near Eymir village. The location was selected carefully to avoid impacting nearby wildlife areas, including the Nallıhan Davutoğlan Wildlife Development Zone.
According to Uraloğlu, the work began last week and was completed on Friday.
"Drivers can now hear Mozart's 'Turkish March' clearly while traveling at a specific speed," said Uraloğlu.
A second melodic road project has already begun, according to the minister.
On Saturday, work started on a new segment located at the 37th kilometer of the Ankara–Eskişehir highway near the Kertek area. Uraloğlu said the ministry is paying close attention to avoid potential noise pollution by choosing areas far from residential settlements.
In countries where similar applications exist, there have been noise complaints near residential areas, he noted. "That's why we prefer to carry out these implementations away from populated areas."
For optimal performance, the Melodic Road requires certain technical conditions. According to the ministry, the system works best on flat, smooth roads with minimal surface damage and low traffic volume, particularly where heavy vehicle traffic is limited.
These help preserve the integrity of the grooves and ensure the melody remains distinct over time.
