Planned Jerusalem highway angers local residents

• Published date: 22 March 2023

The plan has received major opposition from local residents who claim that the new highway will encourage use of cars in the city and spoil the experience of the railway park. Previous objections from local residents led the then Minister of Transport Merav Michaeli to suspend the plan last October

The municipality says a seven meter high bridge across the new road will be built so that the railway park's continuity will be preserved and stresses that Road 34 is vital so that Talpiot can develop further as an urban business and residential center.

Yossi Saidoff, one of the activists who worked for the building of Park Hamesila and chairman of the Katamonim neighborhood community administration says, "Building a four-lane highway alongside the light rail is unnecessary and does extreme damage to pedestrians for the benefit of cars. The municipality must change direction and adopt Park Hamesila and encourage opening local businesses around it."

City planner Itamar Shahar adds, "Jerusalem Municipality speaks high about reducing dependence on cars but while one hand is investing billions in the light rail infrastructure, the other hand is building a new road based on old and anachronistic plans."

Jerusalem Municipality said in response. "The road will serve new Talpiot developments from two central axes, along which public transport will move, including the light rail. Most of the vehicles will enter and leave the neighborhood through these roads. The need for two central...