For most of its route, the O-30 runs along the perimeter of İzmir, but enters urbanized areas in Balçova, Bornova, Karşıyaka and Çiğli.

On 10 July 1997, the O-30 was connected to the D-300, which was the main east–west trunk road and on 15 August 1998, the 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long section between Karabağlar and Uzundere was opened to traffic.

The motorway was finally connected to the O-32 on 6 August 2002, via a 1.5 km (0.93 mi) viaduct through Balçova, thus completing the southern half of the O-30.

[2] Due to the slow progression of its northern half, the O-30 was nicknamed the motorway that will never open (Turkish: Açılmaz otoyol) and residents of İzmir started to protest the delay.

[3] Construction was sped up in 2006 and in January 2007 the 12.6 km (7.8 mi) section between Bornova and Karşıyaka along with two tunnels was opened.