Ra’anana station moved as final section of Metro approved

The Israel Planning Authority announced today that the National Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved the final section of the M1 Line North of the Metro Mass Transit Project in the greater Tel Aviv area. This means that all three lines of the entire metro network have now been approved. The section of the plan that was approved today is the northern section of the M1 line, which was separated for approval from the central section due to objections from the municipalities of Raanana and Kfar Saba.

The northern section of the M1 line consists of 28 kilometers with 20 stations, which will connect Kfar Saba and Raanana to the center of the urban area via Herzliya, Hod Hasharon and Ramat Hasharon.

Preliminary planning for the new route that extends the line eastward, to the eastern line of Israel Railways, will begin by the Ministry of Transportation in December 2025.

Change: Raanana West station will be moved

The committee’s decision after hearing the objections allows opponents in Raanana to claim victory. Raanana West Station will be moved to provide a solution for connectivity with the Israel Railways Station and Lowenstein Hospital – Rehabilitation Center. However, claims by residents of one Raanana neighbourhood, who opposed the metro passing under their homes, on the grounds that the line would not serve the hospital, were rejected as part of the planning process. After considerable political pressure, a certain change was finally made to the original plan.

In addition, at a hearing held in December 2023, the National Planning and Construction Commission decided on the issue of the warehouse, whose location was opposed by the Kfar Saba municipality and residents of the Yaruka neighborhood, and decided that it should remain there. Its current location is near Kfar Saba, to prevent major delays in the construction of the northern section of the metro.

150 kilometers of tunnels and 109 stations

With today’s approval of the plan, preliminary planning for the largest and most complex transportation project ever undertaken in the State of Israel has been completed, including 150 kilometers of tunnels and 109 stations.

The metro will be used by an estimated 450 million passengers annually (2 million passengers daily). Now, with the approval of the final section, the detailed planning phase for the entire metro system will begin.

Chairman of the National Planning Authority and Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Rabbi Natan El-Natan, said: “This is a historic day for the State of Israel. The State of Israel will join a number of countries that have a high-quality mass transit system. The Dan (Greater Tel Aviv) Metro system will change the face of the city and significantly improve The lives of millions of residents. Metro plans form the basis for urban development in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

Chief Executive Officer of the Planning Administration, Rafi Al-Malach, said: “The Planning Administration is working to strengthen a high-quality public transportation network for the State of Israel. After the railways and light rail, today we approve another level in the mass transportation system – the metro. This level will complement an advanced, high-quality transportation network of It will reduce traffic congestion in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and improve the quality of life of residents. Along with planning the metro route, we encourage complementary movement of the urban space of the metro stations (Tama 70) which will combine. Housing, offices, commerce and entertainment, we will begin the detailed planning phase that will bring us one step closer to building the network.

Published by Globes, Israel Business News – en.globes.co.il – on December 30, 2024

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