Israel's public transportation is about to get a facelift - Michaeli

• Author: SARAH BEN-NUN
• Published date: 11 October 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

"Public transportation," Michaeli said, is a wonderful thing, "but we started to see the gap between where it's useful and where it's wildly inconvenient." Michaeli's team brought a record-breaking amount of funds to the Transportation Ministry and plans to move forward in the effort to shrink down private vehicle usage in the country.

In June, Michaeli outlined a plan that started with moving and dedicating more funds to the Transportation Ministry. The goal is to make it "more available to those who have less accessibility so that civilians don't have to feel like their only viable option is to drive a private vehicle." The rough outline of the five-year plan – not a ten-year one, as had been practiced under previous administrations – showed that funding for roads will steadily decrease, but remain fairly steady while funds for everything else will increase.

The ministry is working to increase the use of two-wheelers – manual bikes, electric bikes and scooters, for the variety of benefits they offer: health, reducing the use of oil-driven cars and lightening the congestion and traffic that plagues too many Israelis on the roads.

When asked how the shift in focus from road-building to investment in infrastructure and service will translate to how resources and manpower within the ministry are divided, Michaeli explained that they will be receiving 70 new positions, after losing 200 within the last 10 years.

Arab Sector

One third of the funds are suctioned off towards increasing access to public transport in the Arab sector. This includes adding bus lines and improving the ones that already exist, building sidewalks and increasing knowledge and awareness about road safety, specifically through campaigns being carried out in Arabic rather than Hebrew.

There are cities in Israel today – many of them in the Arab sector – as well as agrarian communities, which don't have sidewalks because the municipalities don't have the budget for it.

NIS 90 million will be dedicated to public transport security measures within the sector.

Buses

Israel's bus stops will receive an upgrade: more shade. Ideally, via trees, so it's more natural and more eco-friendly.

Roads

By the end of October, the ministry is hoping to pass a law that would increase the suspension of drunk drivers from 30 to...