The Metronit bus rapid transport (BRT) network, which operates in Haifa and the Haifa Bay (Kraiot) area is to be extended to Nesher, Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz announced today. Work carried out by the Yefe Nof Transportation and Infrastructure Construction Co. will begin in the next few weeks.
Katz said that the new Metronit line will operate from the Yagur Junction, via Bar Yehuda Street in Nesher and onto the Hadar neighborhood of Haifa. The estimated cost of the work will be NIS 450 million. He said, "The line will significantly shorten journey time between Nesher and Haifa along a 7.2 kilometer exclusive bus lane."
The Metronit will replace the current bus services between Nesher and Haifa. The frequency of service on the new line will be every 7.5 minutes during peak times and the Nesher - Haifa line will carry over 1 million passengers per year. A park and ride car park will be built need Yagur Junction with other such facilities built along the route.
The Metronit began operating in 2013 and there are currently three lines covering 40 kilometers. The first line runs from the norther section of the Kraiot (near the former kurdani IDF base) along Road 4, Histadrut Boulevard and the Haifa Port area to the Hof Hacarmel terminal near the southern entrance to the city. The second line runs from Kiryat Ata via Road 4, Histadrut Boulevard and the Haifa Port area to Bat Galim, and the third line runs from Kiryat Yam and Kiryat Haim to Hadar in Haifa.
Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav said, "The Haifa Municipality is proud to lead in the country's public transport sector and constantly continues to develop the Haifa metropolitan area. In the next future thousands of residents will be able to forego their private car and reach Mount Carmel conveniently and quickly from the Nesher and Yagur area."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 26, 2017
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