The plan, which was announced on World Bicycle Day, will aim to reach strategic goals that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists in the city.
By AARON REICHBicyclists are seen on one of Tel Aviv's bike paths.(photo credit: COURTESY OF TEL AVIV-YAFO MUNICIPALITY)
The Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality announced on Tuesday a new strategic plan to double the length of the city's bicycle paths from 140 km to 300 km by 2025.By paving these new stretches, the city will create a large, safe and uninterrupted network of bicycle paths.In addition, the plan, which was announced on World Bicycle Day, will aim to reach strategic goals that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists in the city, which has among the highest percentage of bicycle travel in Israel.Other goals of the plan include installing ramps on public stairs to facilitate walking up or down the stairs with a bicycle; adding new innovative bicycle parking methods, such as docking stations in the courtyards of private buildings; continue promoting shared electric vehicles while improving regulations to maintain the safety of both riders and pedestrians; and add 11 new pedestrian streets. A ramp is seen by a public stairway in Tel Aviv to facilitate walking a bicycle up or down the stairs. (Photo credit: Courtesy of Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality)These types of changes are in line with other bicycle cities around the world, according to the municipality, and can bring many benefits such as reduced traffic and a more bustling urban environment. The municipality is predicting a reduction of traffic by 30%, as well as a reduction of accidents caused by cyclists by 40%."The city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa has undergone a revolution in recent years and bicycles and personal vehicles have become an integral part of the urban culture," Mayor Ron Huldai said in a statement."We continue to work and pave additional kilometers of bike paths while keeping three main goals in sight: 'returning' the streets to pedestrians; reducing traffic congestion, reducing air pollution.""It is a revolutionary plan that for the first time turns segments of bike paths into one uninterrupted network," Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality's Deputy Mayor for Transportation Meital Lehavi explained."The program is based on models designed according to cyclers' demands and needs of accessibility while mapping the most crucial streets for bike paths, all staying in accordance with law enforcement guidelines... [as well as] incorporating aspects of education, cultural and behavioral adjustments through the distribution of information and accurate law enforcement.
"There is no doubt that a good bicycle alternative can lower the cost of living and improve air quality and the environment for the city and its residents."
