If Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has his way, a new cable car service will be introduced in a number of years, in 2015. The cable, unlike buses that add to vehicular congestion, will have the capability of transporting 4,000-6,000 visitors hourly. Passengers heading to the Old City would be dropped in the area of Shar Ha’ashpos (Dung Gate).

Section one will run near the gate, not far from the Seven Arches Hotel. The second section would run from close to the Menachem Begin Heritage Center (Khan Theater area) using a route that will be similar to the cable car running to the Old City in 1948, during the War of Independence.

The mayor feels that with the addition of the cable car, which will link to the Jerusalem light rail, it will serve to significantly reduce congestion to and from the Kosel and the city while facilitating transport to the holy site. The span of the cable ride will be 1.6km (1 mile) and take about four minutes.

Proponents of the plan add that unlike the construction of the light rail system, which had a significant negative impact on the city, the cable car will be constructed without compelling detours or any changes in public transportation lines in the city, adding the cable car is environmentally friendly, quiet, and is the right path to take towards moving more people to and from the Old City without additional demands on the city’s transportation system.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)