PHOTOS: Jerusalem Light Rail Continues Efforts To Expand

Jerusalem light rail officials explain that plans were put in place for the construction of the Western branch of the Golden Line (the Museum branch) and the establishment of the “Malcha Depot”, the maintenance, operation and storage center for about 51 trains for the Blue Line.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon said: “We are moving forward and building transportation in Jerusalem for the next generation, and today Jerusalem is in a state of transportation development that is positioning it as the most advanced city in this area. Transportation, short travel times, reduced congestion on roads, cleaner air and exciting urban renewal, and that’s just the beginning.”

The Jerusalem Transportation Master Plan team on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, submitted objections to the Jerusalem Local Committee, which is headed by Deputy Mayor Eliezer Ruchberger. The objections address the plans for the establishment of the Western extension of the Golden Line of the light rail and the plan for the establishment of Malcha Depot.

The Western Golden line, 1.5km long along the streets of Yitzhak Rabin and Eliezer Kaplan Streets, is an extension of the Green and Red lines in the JNET network, which will serve tourism, the government complex, museums and public buildings on Kaplan, Rabin and Rupin streets.

The Western line will be comprised of four stations, for getting on and off; The first stop will be near the Bituach Leumi building on Shazar Blvd and the station will connect passengers on the Green line of the JNET network. The second stop will be next to the Supreme Court, the third stop will be near the Knesset building and the fourth station will be located as a final stop at the Israel Museum. An underground parking lot will be constructed there for buses and private vehicles. Above the parking lot, an urban square will be built in a wide public space that will serve as a meeting point for all the cultural institutions around it as well as a platform for national level cultural events.

Another plan that was submitted to the local committee of the Jerusalem municipality is the plan for the establishment of a depot – a site for operation, maintenance and storage for the Blue line. The project, which will be built next to the Israel Railway Station in Malcha, and the site will cover 73 dunams and will include storage areas for trains, operational areas, office buildings and a roof covering with green areas. It will include two levels and is intended for storage, handling and maintenance of 102 cars (51 trains of two cars).

The Blue line will begin in the Ramot neighborhood, continue to Golda Meir Boulevard and Har Chotzvim (Mt. Scopus), and then enter a tunnel on Shmuel HaNavi Street, to Yechezkel and Strauss Streets and then cross Yaffa Street to King George Street, and continue via Keren HaYesod Street and then via Derech Chevron to the Khan Theatre and end up in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

Another branch of the line will leave Malcha via the Sports and Culture Complex, to the Katamonim neighborhood and Emek Refaim Street in the German Colony, where it will unite with the Blue line until Ramot.

The accompanying photos are computer simulations of the additional extensions planned.