Municipality approves record budget of NIS 350M to establish Blue Line of light rail
Work on the line, which will extend for 31 km and have 52 stations, is expected to begin in the coming year
The Municipality of Jerusalem approved a total of approximately NIS 350 million to promote the availability of the Blue Line of the light rail. Among other things, the budget will be used to finance the work in the Yigal Yadin, Emek Refaim, Asher Viner, Talpiot, HaKhan, Keren Hayesod, Ramot, King George and other sections. In addition, approximately NIS 31 million was approved to promote the availability and planning of the Purple Line of the light rail for the Ben Zakai, Yehuda Hanasi, Bolivia, and Geti sections.
The Blue Line budget, along with hundreds of millions of additional shekels for projects in a variety of areas of life, were approved by the municipal Finance Committee and the City Council for the benefit and well-being of residents and visitors.
The works will be carried out through the Moriah Jerusalem Development Company, in cooperation with the Ministry of Transportation and the Transportation Master Plan Team.
The Blue Line route will extend for 31 kilometers and have 52 stations: from Gilo neighborhood in the south of the city to Ramat Eshkol and Ramot in the north, and will have two branches: in the north, from Geula to Ramat Eshkol, and in the south, from the Khan station to Malha. The Blue Line is currently in the process of being tendered by the Ministry of Finance, and the tender includes the Purple Line, which will be a horizontal line in the south of the city that will go from the Kiryat Menachem and Kiryat Yuval neighborhoods through Ramat Dania, Ramat Sharet, Malha and Katmonim to Talpiot, and will connect the Blue Line with the Red Line, as well as the Light Blue Line between the Green Line and the Blue Line, enabling a continuous line between Talpiot and Gonenim neighborhoods in the south of the city to Mount Scopus, including Hadassah Hospital and Hebrew University, in the north of the city.
The planning phase is almost complete. Work on the Blue Line is expected to begin in the coming year, including part of the Purple Line. The work is expected to gain momentum, and infrastructure work has already started in the Rosemarin, Yigal Yadin, Har Hotzavim and Ben Dosa sections - four out of the 25 sections of the Blue Line.
In a statement, the Municipality of Jerusalem said: "The Municipality of Jerusalem continues to promote the development of public transportation infrastructure in the city. This is about approving a significant budget which will enable the execution of the works on the Blue Line. Along with approving the budgets, the Municipality is working on ways to facilitate and support the owners of businesses located in the areas of the light rail works. The Blue Line will be a central line in the fabric of Jerusalem's public transportation, and will facilitate movement in the city and allow residents to get from place to place quickly and efficiently. We see the establishment of the Blue Line, and the system of light rail lines, as an important step in creating an efficient and green alternative to the use of private vehicles in the city of Jerusalem."
