The National Infrastructure Committee (WHO) in the Planning Directorate announced this week the preparation of a tunnel plan for the railway along the Haifa coastal strip, as part of the plan to double the tracks between Haifa and Shefayim, after examining several alternatives to the city’s section of tracks.
“This is a historic, environmental and scenic achievement for the city’s residents, which leads us to the realization of his vision we have been hoping for for decades and that is – removing the buffer between the city’s neighborhoods and the sea,” said Haifa Mayor Einat Klish Rotem.
In a post she posted on her Facebook page, Klish-Rotem wrote: “Ten years ago I went into public activity to solve the problem of disconnection that the railway tracks create, and to connect the city to the sea. Today, the hotel approved the alternative of tunnel tunneling (No. 102), exactly the same route I proposed 9 and a half years ago.
“For the past three years, we at the municipality have been working hard to prove the economic feasibility of the rail tunnel, together with Yuval Admon from the National Economic Council in the Prime Minister’s Office, during which we have recruited many elements in the central government to the process. Today we witnessed in the discussions that there is indeed a profound change in consciousness, and that there is an understanding that Haifa is the capital of the north. “
The plan, TTL 65, was divided into two parts: the first part, from Shefayim to Hof Hacarmel, has already been deposited for public objections and is at a more advanced stage. As part of this, the number of railway tracks in the section between Shefayim and Haifa will be doubled, so that the two existing tracks will be used by the suburban train and two more will be designed for high-speed trains, which can reach speeds of 250 km / h.
The second part, TTL 65B, is a continuation of the first part from the north in the section of tracks along the coastline of Haifa. As part of this plan, a number of alternatives were considered and an alternative 102 was accepted: from the Carmel coast to the heart of the bay, the 4 tracks will pass, four will be tunneled, ie they will pass underground along the entire coastal strip of Haifa.