Inter-ministerial plan aims to put more Israelis on bikes

Tel Aviv seafront bicycle path
Tel Aviv seafront bicycle path

The National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Urban Traffic claims an annual net benefit of NIS 3.5 billion.

The Ministry of Construction and Housing, the National Economic Council, the Planning Administration, the Ministry of Transport, and Israel Land Authority unveiled the "National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Urban Traffic" today. This visionary plan assumes people depend on cars because they are unable to travel short distances by other means - by walking or riding bicycles. The document, prepared by a team of experts coordinated by Dr. Nir Sharav, analyzes the existing situation, examines what is happening elsewhere in the world, and makes practical proposals for improving the urban environment.

The 2018 social survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics shows that 1.4% of people in Israel use bicycles to get to work, and fewer than 7% walk. These figures are far below what is happening in the European Union. Israel has just 370 kilometers of bicycle paths. Even Tel Aviv, which is far more advanced in this respect than other Israeli cities, has only 60 kilometers of bicycle paths. There is no continuous network with good coverage of the important traffic arteries.

The plan's authors believe that there is a close connection between the extent of infrastructure, i.e. the number and quality of bicycle paths, and use of bicycles and how safe their riders feel. A lack of separate infrastructure is responsible for constant friction between pedestrians, bicycle riders, and people traveling in private cars.

The plan assumes that walking and bicycle riding are beneficial: they reduce congestion and save on road costs, save money spent on operating vehicles, save money spent on parking, reduce air pollution, and improve the environment, public health, etc. These benefits can be quantified in money terms: the benefit from walking is NIS 3.23 per kilometer and the benefit from riding a bicycle is NIS 2.55 per kilometer. For the sake of comparison, the benefit of using public transport is NIS 3.14 per kilometer.

The strategic plan lists several practical measures: increasing density by 20% to eight housing units per dunam (32 housing units per acre); building bicycle paths on every street more than 24 meters wide, with a goal of having bicycle paths on one third of all city streets; building a more intensive network of streets in areas of urban renewal and new neighborhoods, with the goal of one fourth of all urban space being allocated to roads and paths; encouraging multi-use and creating new streets with active commercial frontages; giving priority to pedestrians and bicycle riders; reducing the amount of parking required for buildings; and widening sidewalks.

The strategic plan requires government approval and a budget, but for now its importance lies in the realization by all those who participated in preparing it that substantial change is necessary, with coordination between government ministries in promoting high-density and high-quality urban living. The plan's other achievement is putting a price tag on the actions needed to realize it: an annual investment of NIS 1.5 billion. The projected annual benefit is NIS 5 billion.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 22, 2019

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2019

Tel Aviv seafront bicycle path
Tel Aviv seafront bicycle path
Forbes Rich List credit: Shutterstock Maslowski Marcin Wiz founders ranked in Forbes 2025 Rich List

There are a few dozen Israelis listed in the 2025 Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List including Wiz founders Assaf Rappaport, Yinon Costica, Roy Reznik and Ami Luttwak.

SatixFy CEO Nir Barkan credit: Ariel Barkan Canada's MDA Space to buy Israeli satcom co SatixFy

MDA Space will pay $269 million for the Israeli company, including taking on a $76 million debt and a 75% premium on SatixFy's closing price on Nasdaq yesterday.

Raising dollars credit: Shutterstock Israeli startups raised over $1b in March

Israeli privately-held tech companies have raised $2.1 billion in the first three months of 2025, according to IVC-LeumiTech, up 24% from the corresponding quarter of 2024.

Terminal 1 credit: Personal image Terminal 1 reopening revives Israel low-cost fare options

With the opening of the terminal for international flights, the Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has returned to Israel and with it, double-digit US dollar round-trip fares.

Arkady Volozh  credit: Shlomi Yosef Analysts see Israel-linked Nebius challenging CoreWeave

Nebius, founded by Yandex founder Arkady Volozh, operates in CoreWeave's AI server market, but is growing "more rationally", and has far less debt.

Bezalel Smotrich and Amir Yaron credit: Knesset Spokesperson and Tali Bogdanovsky Retail chains, credit card cos could soon act as banks

Israel's financial regulators have proposed that supermarket chains, credit card companies and investment houses will be able to accept deposits and offer credit.

Elbit Systems rocket launcher  credit: Elbit Systems Elbit Systems wins $130m European rocket order

The order is for the supply of rockets for Elbit's Precise and Universal Launching System (PULS), which has an effective range of up to 300 kilometers.

Nvidia VP Ali Kani credit: Nvidia Nvidia intensifies efforts to compete with Mobileye

"Globes" talks to Nvidia VP and automotive team head Ali Kani about the chipmaker's autonomous vehicle activities and assesses the threat to Mobileye.

Fitch ratings agency credit: Shutterstock Fitch reaffirms Israel's A rating with negative outlook

The ratings agency said, "The negative outlook reflects rising public debt, domestic political and governance challenges and uncertain prospects for the conflict in Gaza."

Tamar rig credit: PR Sovereign Wealth Fund earned handsome returns in 2024

Israel's Sovereign Wealth Fund, known as the Citizens' Fund, had assets worth about $2 billion at the end of 2024, the Ministry of Finance reports.

Fencing goes up Petah Tikva's Segula neighborhood  credit: NTA Work on Metro to begin in Petah Tikva

The first work on the Tel Aviv Metropolitan underground railways system will begin on the M2 line depot in Petah Tikva.

Startups credit: Shutterstock/NicoElNino IVC-LeumiTech: Tech fund raising jumps 24% in Q1

Israeli privately-held tech companies raised $2.13 billion in the first quarter of 2025, up 24% from the corresponding quarter of 2024, but down 12% from the preceding quarter.

Miri Regev and Yitzhak Rochberger credit: Yediot Ahronot/ Reuven Kapuchinsky and Amit Shabi Ramat Hasharon wants railway station for the Mossad

Ramat Hasharon is pushing for a station in Glilot neat the Mossad headquarters, even though a new station is also planned for Glilot South, 1.6 kilometers away.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credit: Reuven Kastro Police call Netanyahu for testimony as aides arrested

Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein are being held over alleged payments received from Qatar while working in the prime minister's bureau.

Highcon chairperson Shlomo Nimrodi  credit: PR Packaging tech co Highcon winding down

The company, which numbers Benny Landa and JVP among its investors, is laying off most of its workforce, having lost 99.9% of its value since its flotation.

MK Almog Cohen  credit: Danny Shem-Tov, Knesset Spokesperson's Office Netanyahu halts Nevatim airport bill

Legislation mandating construction of an airport at Nevatim, near Beersheva, is ready for final Knesset approval, but the prime minister blocked it after a security cabinet meeting.

Twitter Facebook Linkedin RSS Newsletters גלובס Israel Business Conference 2018