Title: Minister of Transportation’s Proposal Sparks Concerns of Traffic Chaos in Israeli Cities
Subtitle: Public transportation routes conversion plan receives mixed reactions
Last week, the Minister of Transportation, Miri Regev, instructed her office professionals to explore the possibility of converting public transport routes in Israeli cities into non-reserved routes. This move, which mirrors high-occupancy routes found on intercity roads, allows private vehicles with a certain number of passengers to travel in designated lanes. However, experts have expressed concerns that implementing such a plan within urban areas will lead to traffic chaos. The Ministry of Finance also opposes the proposal, citing increased congestion that contradicts the government’s aim to reduce traffic and could cost the Israeli economy billions of shekels annually.
As part of the recently agreed-upon state budget, the Ministry of Finance and Transportation allocated 7 billion shekels to a five-year plan for improving public transportation routes in congested metropolitan areas of Israel. These routes play a crucial role in enhancing transportation efficiency, reducing travel time, and ensuring reliability for passengers. By enabling buses to transport more passengers in a shorter period of time, these routes effectively optimize existing resources and enhance accessibility.
For instance, the introduction of a public transportation route on Kommiam Street in Bat Yam saw buses achieve a speed of 22 km/h, compared to private cars traveling at 18 km/h. This demonstrated the route’s ability to improve travel times and efficiently utilize the road’s capacity, catering to a greater number of passengers.
However, the implementation of preferential routes in Israel faces challenges due to political opposition from local authorities. Municipalities such as Holon, Lod, Herzliya, Ramla, and Kiryat Ono have been accused of delaying the construction of preferential lanes, especially before elections in 2018. Kfar Saba and Ra’anana even decided to cancel ongoing projects.
Despite these hurdles, Minister Regev is determined to explore the conversion of public transport routes into high-capacity routes. The Ministry of Transportation emphasized the need to utilize available infrastructure optimally, considering the minister’s directive.
Although Minister Regev’s proposal holds advantages, particularly in terms of reducing traffic congestion, the Ministry of Finance offers a differing perspective. Citing the declining reliability of bus services and a severe shortage of public transportation routes, the ministry argues that prioritizing high-capacity routes will harm passengers’ access to reliable services and undermine public transportation credibility. This viewpoint raises concerns regarding slower and less reliable bus services compared to the current situation, potentially impacting the Israeli economy negatively.
Infrastructure expert and head of the energy engineering program at Afka College, Prof. Aral Avinari, highlights the importance of control in implementing preferential lanes, emphasizing the potential chaos created by unregulated vehicles. Avinari maintains that public transport routes should prioritize buses to achieve continuous travel, economic efficiency, and emission reduction.
Transportation planner Yonatan Rozin warns that Israel’s public transportation system, particularly in Gush Dan, is on the verge of collapse due to vehicle congestion, driver shortages, and inadequate infrastructure investment. Rozin argues that converting urban highways into non-motorized routes without proper technological enforcement essentially eliminates their purpose and places public transportation at a lower priority.
Civil society organizations, including the consumer advocacy group 15 Minutes, have criticized Minister Regev’s plan as a de facto cancellation of public transportation routes. They argue that the conversion would prioritize private vehicles, further diminishing the quality of public transportation services and causing passengers to endure worsening traffic conditions.
While the proposal aims to address transportation challenges and reduce congestion in Israeli cities, concerns raised by experts and stakeholders highlight the need for a comprehensive and balanced approach to ensure the efficiency and reliability of public transportation networks.