Jerusalem Metro preliminary planning tender issued

The Transportation Master Plan Team, which oversees the construction of transportation infrastructure in Jerusalem, today published a tender for the initial planning and feasibility study of metro lines in Israel’s capital. The tender was issued after the Jerusalem Municipality and the Ministry of Transportation determined that the city’s light rail network will reach its maximum capacity by 2030, making it necessary to expand public transportation.

There is currently no planning or financial certainty for building a metro in Jerusalem, and if it is approved and budgeted, construction will not begin until 2040 or 2050. Estimates indicate that the cost of the project will reach tens of billions of shekels.

Over the past year, the Planning Administration has been conducting comprehensive work on the development trends of Jerusalem by 2050, when the city’s population is expected to reach 1.8 million by 2050. Cars, buses and the light rail network will not meet the expected demand. At the same time, the Ministry of Transportation, through the Master Transportation Plan Team, completed a strategic study that concluded that 2-3 subway lines are needed in Jerusalem to coordinate with the Jerusalem light rail network.

“Jerusalem’s population continues to grow, and recently passed the one million mark. Over time, the city has become crowded, and the urban infrastructure can no longer keep up with this growth,” Tal Kopel, CEO of the Israeli urban planning firm Madlan, told Globes. “The metro plan is expected to help the city continue to grow and allow for fast and convenient transportation around it, as a complementary response to the light rail network currently being built throughout the city. However, we must remember that building a metro network is very complex, especially in an ancient and conflict-ridden city like Jerusalem. This is a complex project, and even if it is approved and built, it will take many years before we see it working.”

budget uncertainty

The deadline for submitting bids for the tender is at the end of next August, and the work will be carried out over a period of 25 months, so its conclusions are expected to be ready by the end of 2026. After this tender, another long process is expected to take place, which includes more precise planning, and the construction process itself.

The results of the initial planning will include feasibility reports for building the network and initial planning for four to six alternatives, indicating where the metro could be located underground and above ground, similar to the metro planned for Gush Dan. The initial planning will also include the proposed location of stations and entrances, the type of trains, the location of depots (train maintenance and storage facilities), and integration with the city’s existing transportation systems, including the light rail stations and Israel Railways, with plans to extend the railway line to Jerusalem to the Khan complex via the old railway station.

The transportation corridors that the metro lines will pass through (shown on the map) were determined in the strategic plan prepared by the Ministry of Transportation for Jerusalem in 2050, in line with the expected demand. The first line will be planned from southeast Jerusalem to Pisgat Zeev in the north; the second line from southwest Jerusalem to the Old City, with two alternatives for extension to East Jerusalem. The options include two to three stations with the two lines at the entrance to the city, and in the government area.

The cost of the project is estimated at tens of billions of shekels. The exact amount is not yet known, as it depends on the number of stations planned, the method of building the system (above ground or underground, which increases the cost), the location of the depot, etc. The cost also depends on the method of financing – public or with the participation of the private sector. In Gush Dan, where the metro planning is more advanced and close to implementation, the cost of the three planned lines is estimated at no less than NIS 150 billion. Half of this amount will come from the state budget and the other half through income from land improvement, value increases and various taxes.

In contrast to the planning and budgetary certainty in Gush Dan, there is no planning or budgetary certainty in Jerusalem, and it is not clear whether there is a source of budget and the willingness of government ministries to implement such a massive project. However, it is possible that in light of the population growth rate, the high dependence of Jerusalem residents on public transportation compared to other urban areas in Israel, and the enormous scale of construction, there will be a real need that will leave no other choice.

“critical crossroads”

In 2011, the Red Line of the Jerusalem Light Rail began operating above ground. The Green Line, currently under construction, is scheduled to begin operating next year and the Blue Line in 2030. These lines will not operate in Jerusalem as they do in Gush Dan, where each light rail line will operate independently.

The Jerusalem light rail system will be radically different from the metro because it will run mainly above ground, be much slower and smaller, and the stations will be closer together than the planned metro stations.

“Jerusalem stands at a critical crossroads, and the planning decisions we make today will determine its future for generations to come,” said Planning Administration Director General Rafi Elmaliech. “For this reason, the Planning Administration has strengthened the urban review process, which will be the basis for designing a metro network that will change the face of the city, make it accessible to its residents and help deal with the challenges of the future.”

This article was published in Globes, Israeli Business News – en.globes.co.il – on July 1, 2024.

© Copyright Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.