Pedaling a new path: new bike trails inaugurated in Tel Aviv
The mayor added: “This new path will give thousands of commuters a healthier and safer path to work.”
By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFFTel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai (second from left) and Canadian-Israeli philanthropist Sylvan Adams (right) inaugurated the first section of a 110-kilometer network of bicycle trails that will turn Tel Aviv into the Amsterdam of the Middle East on December 2, 2018(photo credit: Courtesy)
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai (second from left) and Canadian-Israeli philanthropist Sylvan Adams (right) inaugurated the first section of a 110-kilometer network of bicycle trails that will turn Tel Aviv into the Amsterdam of the Middle East yesterday.The new trail will depart from HaYarkon Park and connect Tel Aviv to Bnei Brak’s business center.The ribbon cutting ceremony closed with Huldai and Adams cycling the new route along with cyclists from the Israel Cycling Academy, who represented Israel in the Giro d’Italia in May.The new trail being opened spans 3.5 kilometers. Its construction took one year, at a total cost of around NIS 7 million ($1.9m), raised courtesy of the CEO of KKL-JNF Canada, KKL-JNF World Chairman Daniel Atar and Adams, who helped finance the project.Adams noted during the ceremony: “What you see here is only a part of the project, it has three legs to this stool, and there is a southern portion and a northern portion. The idea is to create a hub to which satellite cities surrounding Tel Aviv can plug in. Commuters from Tel Aviv’s satellite communities like Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva and Holon, instead of sitting in your car, the idea is to do something healthy, time saving and environmentally friendly, leave the car at home and take your bike. This is just the first step of turning Tel Aviv into the Amsterdam of the Middle East!”Huldai noted in his comments: “When it comes to cycling in our city, Sylvan is always an enthusiastic partner! Just over the horizon is the velodrome which will be one of the most significant landmarks of our city, also a credit to Sylvan.”The mayor added: “This new path will give thousands of commuters a healthier and safer path to work.”The new route is the opening section of a much broader program over the next five years, with a 110 km network of bicycle trails being built, led by Huldai, in which Adams has invested, as part of a joint shared vision to turn Tel Aviv into the Amsterdam of the Middle East.The paths will take cyclists from the surrounding cities of Holon, Bat Yam, Ramat Gan and Bnei Brak to Tel Aviv, in a way that will ease traffic congestion and allow the public to commute by bicycle on safe, purpose built paths.
