Bikes are conquering Israel’s streets, roads and terrain every day of the week. Cycling has become a popular and intoxicating pastime, and bicycles also serve as vehicles for commuters. The riders pack their backpacks with the clothes they chose for the day, and have showers at the office.
If they’re Haifaites, then maybe they rode downhill on the way to work, so the sporty part of the day will be waiting for them on their return – or the other way round. Either way, in one operation they have achieved three goals: getting to work, their daily exercise and reducing polluting emissions. Today, in the age of electric bicycles, it’s also possible to indulge and make less effort. This is especially true in a mountainous city like Haifa, where bicycles have become a realistic mobility option.
In this context, as part of the city’s transportation vision – promoting public transportation and soft traffic as means competing with private vehicles – a plan has been prepared for a network of bicycle paths to be deployed throughout the city. The purpose of the proposed network is to encourage commuting with bicycles, e-bikes and the like, and serve as a safe, efficient and healthy complement to the means of transportation currently used. The program proposes a network of bicycle paths that connects every Haifa neighborhood to transportation, commerce and cultural centers, as well as educational and higher education institutions. And in view of its importance, municipal departments have already begun to assimilate the trails into the various development programs promoted throughout the city. The planned network includes the allocation of bicycle lanes on the asphalted area of selected streets, proposals for outdoor moving escalators designed to improve links on the city’s slopes and connections to public transportation. The program proposes a network of bicycle paths that connects every Haifa neighborhood to transportation, commerce and cultural centers, as well as educational and higher education institutions. And in view of its importance, municipal departments have already begun to assimilate the trails into the various development programs promoted throughout the city. The planned network includes the allocation of bicycle lanes on the asphalted area of selected streets, proposals for outdoor moving escalators designed to improve links on the city’s slopes and connections to public transportation.
Rails for wheeling bicycles up or down stairs and crossing bridges.
Alongside the urban bike lanes, a metropolitan bicycle axis plan – the Metropan project – is being promoted. This plan envisages a major avenue for bicycle traffic on the coastline with convenient, available, continuous and wide infrastructure that will become a transportation alternative with a considerable volume of users. The entire route will be within the realm of an existing-approved route. The total length of the project is 46 kilometers (29 miles), 34 kilometers (21 miles) within Haifa’s municipal area and 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) of complementary bike paths.
The entire route is divided into 20 sections, two of which in the Haifa area are being promoted with top priority for detailed planning:
- Between the Check Post Interchange and Vulcan Junction.
- Between Makam Junction and Allenby Interchange.
Legend
— Paths for planning in Stage A
— Existing bicycle paths in the area
The vehicles that will be allowed to ride on the trails may include, besides bicycles, legal electric bicycles up to 25 km/h, scooters, electric scooters, hand bikes and more.
These are the program’s guiding principles:
- Maximal separation from motor traffic and pedestrians
- High level of service for riders and high level of operation and maintenance, such as shading and street furniture
- Maximal continuity in the ride
- Convenient and fast passage at intersections
- Two-directional riding
- Adaptation to capacities and speeds, while allowing safe overtaking
Examples of bike paths in Israel:
