Concern over new rail-track in Haifa - Monday 14th March 2011 News

Israel Railway is planning to convert 420km of track to electric power to replace fuel based trains.  However, the City of Haifa and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel is trying to stop this from being implemented in south Haifa according to the Jerusalem Post.

The concern is that in this area between the city and the Mediterranean Sea, electricity poles will be places along a 7km route only 20 meters apart in a sensitive ecological area.

Haifa Municipality are suggesting that tracks are built into a tunnel along the 7km route in southern Haifa

Jerusalem Marathon - 25 March 2011 Traffic Arrangements

On Friday 25th March 2011, the inaugural Jerusalem Marathon will take place in Israel and the Jerusalem Municipality have announced the traffic changes that will take place to allow for the marathon.



Streets Closed to Vehicles


Ben Zvi Boulevard and Ruppin Street will be closed to vehicles from Thursday, 24.3.2011 starting at 23:00 until the end of the event on Friday, 25.3.2011.

On the day of the race, the following streets will be closed to vehicles starting from 06:00 in the morning to 14:00 (estimated)

Ruppin St, The Hebrew University Campus, Netanel Lorch St, Yitzhak Rabin Blvd, Bezalel St, Ben Yehuda St, King George St, Jaffo Rd, King Solomon St, ShlomZion Hamalka, Yitzhak Karib St, Jaffa Gate, Armenian Orthodox St, Hativat Jerusalem Blvd, David Remez St, King David St, Jabotinsky St, President St, Arlozorov St, Bartenura St, Radak St, Chopin St, Gaza St, Dubnov St, Gretz St, Emek Harefaim St, Pierre Koenig St, Yehuda St, Daniel Yanovski St, Hebron Rd, Elazar Hamodai St, Kovshei Katamon St, Palmach St, Fichman St, Tchernichovsky St, Haim Hazaz Blvd, Hatzanhanim St, Hayal Hahandasa St, Haim Bar-Lev Blvd, George Adam Smith St, Lehi St, Benjamin Mazar St, Martin Buber St, Churchill Blvd - and all leading streets.

 There will be changes in traffic arrangements for private vehicles and public transportation on streets intersecting the courses Haleom, Binyanei HaUma, museums' and Kiryat Hamemshala parking lots will serve marathon participants only.

Public transportation 
There will be disruptions in public transportation lines. For information about public transportation routes call the Egged Information Center on *2800.

Parking
^ Vehicles parking along the running tracks will not be allowed to leave until the event ends and traffic arteries are opened
^ Parking will not be allowed starting from 02:00 (on the night between Thursday and Friday) along the following streets: Yehuda, Chopin and George Adam Smith.

Security of Jerusalem Light Rail and Ben Gurion Airport

As testing continues on the Jerusalem Light Rail line, TUV NORD Group are continuing their work to ensure the entire system fully meets the safety requirements.

When operational the light rail system, which will have 46 Citadis trams on a 14 km route, will meet the standard international requirement for railways EN 50126.  This is a higher standard of safety than most tram systems around the world.  In order to meet the EN 50126 safety standard, which will be issued by CENELEC (the European Committee for Electro-technical Standardisation, the light rail system will have to prove its reliability, availability, maintainability and safety, including integrating the tram line into the existing road network of Jerusalem.


Ben Gurion Airport Security

The Jerusalem Post carries an editorial supporting the profiling of passengers and questioning the High Courts of Israel decision to examine the process.

Jerusalem's Begin Highway to be extended, Proposed Northern Israel Rail Line and Aviation Legislation passes another stage in the Knesset

Jerusalem's Begin Highway to be extended to Gilo


The Begin Highway, one of Jerusalem's main traffic arterial roads is to be extended from the Golomb Street, via Malha Train Station to Gilo.  The Jerusalem Municipality is publishing tenders to find companies to carry out the work to extend the highway.

The project will be overseen by Moriah Jerusalem Development Company who have published the tender documents on their website.  The Jerusalem Municipality are also planning to widen the Begin Highway between Golomb Street and Kiryat Moshe, so that the entire road from Road 443 in northern Jerusalem to Malha in souther Jerusalem will have three lanes in both directions.

Proposed Northern Israel Rail Line

Israel's Transport Ministry has started the tender process for a new railway line along the route of the old Hejaz railway between Haifa and Jordan built during the Turkish Empire.  The Transport Ministry have published the tender for the first section of the line between Haifa and Afula, and it is expected the line will extend to Beit Shean.

The plan is for the proposed railway (pictured above) to start operating by 2016.

Aviation Legislation

A piece of Government legislation to improve aviation safety in Israel passed another stage in the Knesset this week, when it was approved by the Economics Committee.  The legislation being brought by the Transport Minister, Israel Katz, can now go for a 2nd and 3rd reading.  The new law the first of it's kind in the State of Israel is being introduced following criticism by the International Air Transport Association in January and the downgrading by the US Aviation Administration.

Egged Bus Fares Reduced

Egged has announced that it has reduced bus prices on the following routes

Jerusalem


Route No. 450, 448, 437, 449, 446, 451, 438, 494, 492Jerusalem/Har’el Branching/Shoresh Branching – Beit Khelkiya/Yesodot Branching: NIS 17. 2 (code 8), instead of NIS 19.0 (code 9)
Route 437 & 438Ta’uz Junction – Shimshon Junction: NIS 5.3 (code 1), instead of 8.8 (code 3)



South

Route No. 75ARishon le-Tsiyon Ha-Zahav Mall – Ayalon Mall: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Rishon le-Tsiyon Ha-Zahav Mall – Kikar Ilit Ramat Gan: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Kholon – Ramat Gan Kikar Ilit: NIS 9.8 (code 4), instead of 11.3 (code 5)
Route No.38 & 434Rekhovot – Kibbutz Khulda Branching: NIS 11.3 (code 5), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Rekhovot CBS – Khulda Junction: NIS 15.4 (code 7), instead of NIS 19.0 (code 9)
Bilu Junction - Kibbutz Khulda Branching: NIS 9.8 (code 4), instead of NIS 11.3 (code 5)
Bilu Junction – Khulda Junction: NIS 15.4 (code 7), instead of NIS 19.0 (code 9)
Gan Shlomo Junction - Kibbutz Khulda Branching: NIS 8.8 (code 3), instead of NIS 9.8 (code 4)
Kiryat Ekron - Kibbutz Khulda Branching: NIS 8.8 (code 3), instead of NIS 11.3 (code 5)
Mazkeret Batya - Kibbutz Khulda Branching: NIS 8.8 (code 3), instead of NIS 9.8 (code 4)
Route No.012 Rishon le-Tsiyon – PalmakhimRishon le-Tsiyon – Beit Khanan: NIS 6.4 (code 2), instead of NIS 9.8 (code 4)
Ein ha-Kore – Beit Khanan: NIS 6.4 (code 2), instead of NIS 8.8 (code 3)
Route No. 319Rishon le-Tsiyon – Bnei Brak: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Route No. 318Bar Ilan Junction – Rekhovot: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Rishon le-Tsiyon – Ramat Gan, Ayallon Mall: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Ganot Branching - Ramat Gan, Ayallon Mall: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Route No.166 & 164Rekhovot – Bar Ilan Junction/Aluf Sadeh Branching/Messubim Junction: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
cashiers  


North

Route No.222 & 202Pardes Khana, Khadera – Ma’ayan Tsvi Branching/Zikhron Police: NIS 13.5 (code 6), instead of NIS 15.4 (code 7)
Route No.784Haifa – Or Akiva Interchange: NIS 20.0 (code 10), instead of NIS 23.0 (code 11)
Route No. 432 & 833Ashdot Ya’akov – Poriya Hospital:  NIS 9.8 (code 4), instead of NIS 11.3 (code 5)
Tsemakh Junction – Poriya Hospital: NIS 8.8 (code 3), instead of NIS 11.3 (code 5)

Tel Aviv Light Rail Infrastructure Work to Start and High Speed Rail Line to Eilat

Tel Aviv Light Rail Infrastructure Work to Start in September

Israel Katz the Transport Minister in Israel has announced that the first infrastructure work on the Tel Aviv Light Rail line will begin on 21 September.

Currently only 17% of residents in the Tel Aviv region travel by public transport (below the national average of 20%.)  It is hoped that the new light rail line will increase the level of public transport users as the first light rail line in Tel Aviv will be able to carry 150,000 passengers a day.

This announcement follows the Government take-over of the scheme and the launch of a tender for companies to build the tunnels.


High Speed Rail Line to Eilat

A Chinese company has made a bid to build an high-spped railway from Tel Aviv to Eilat.  If built the train line will see trains travelling at up to 350 km per hour, which would reduce the journey time from Ben Gurion Airport to Timna to less than two hours.  Ori Yogev, Chairman Designate of Israel Railways has said that a decision would have to be made within a year on whether to go with the high speed rail solution or a traditional railway where can trains can travel up to 230 km per hour.

Speed Camera's to start in Israel in May

The Ministry of Public Security has said that they expect fixed position speed cameras to begin operating on roads in Israel in May or June.  The announcement follows the granting of permits by the Israel National Roads Company, to allow the poles and camera's to be installed alongside roads in Israel.

The project to install the cameras and operate the speed cameras will be carried out by Malam Team, which is based at a national command and control center at Har Hotzvim in Jerusalem.  The cameras are supplied by the Dutch company Gatsometer.

The Ministry of Public Security said that the 300 cameras on Israel's roads should be installed this month, followed by 2 month pilot.  Following the pilot project, the cameras should be fully operational in May or June.  Israel currently only has 15 speed cameras but the new project will see 200 cameras being used to catch speeding motorists, while 100 cameras will be used to spot motorists running red lights.  It is expected that 300,000 fines will be sent out to motorists each year, which could raise 200 million shekels in fines for the Government.  It is also hoped that the threat of being fined will see motorists driving more safely and so reducing the amount of accidents.