You see they are not from here...
One Monday afternoon, a riding group of German tourists stood on the sidewalk in the German Colony. I saw them on one of my bike rides from Bat Galim to the regular cafe in the lower city. They looked at me with a smile and it was clear that they were not from here. I stopped, and they told me that they came from Germany on a cruise ship and have been riding here since the morning. Turns out I'm the first cyclist they see in town.
Bicycles in the beauty of Haifa
The tourists said they were trying to get to the Baha'i gardens. But this is not an easy task, not only because of the immigration but because there is no bicycle infrastructure in Haifa (not even locking facilities). I asked if I could photograph them, because I am an activist for bicycle paths in Haifa. As soon as the guide explained to them that I was active in bike paths, they cheered. They cheered because as Europeans who recognize the tremendous asset of bicycle-accessible cities and together with the beauty of Haifa, they know how amazing this combination can be.
We will come back to them later, but first, I will present some modest and some less modest steps that can be taken to make Haifa a world name in bicycle tourism.
Who is afraid of elevators?
But wait, you must be asking yourself what about the crazy elevations of Haifa? How will the tourists go up? So let's start with the fact that the tourists from Germany were not bothered by the climb and seemed happy for the challenge of cycling, if only there was a bike path, but let's assume that these are other tourists who are less interested in sweating. The solution is found not far from the German colony, in Paris Square, where the Carmelite is located. But if you arrive at the Carmelit station, you will be surprised to find that there is no elevator in any of the stations, so you will have to carry your bike downstairs.
good things
But there are also some good things done in Carmelite. For example, when you arrive at the platform you will see a small bicycle sign that marks the place in front of which the door will open where you can put the bicycle. This is great, because it saves the stress of looking for the door where the bike rack is when the Carmelita arrives at the station.
In addition, during one of my bicycle trips on the Carmel, I met Ariel, who immigrated to Israel 6 years ago from Colombia. Ariel pointed out that one of the huge advantages of the Carmelite is the possibility to upload the bicycle during all operating hours, unlike the Israel Railways, which severely limits the hours when bicycles can be uploaded. Ariel also told me that he occasionally rides from downtown to Stella Maris (and really hopes that a bike path will be built there), but when he's tired he takes the Carmelite with his bike to the Gan Ham station, to skip the uphill ride.
under the nose
So the solution is right under our noses (or actually under the ground), we just need to add elevators to the Carmelite, add another facility for 4 bicycles in the second trailer as well, which is possible without subtracting even one chair. Thus, with a small investment, we have an accessible and reliable means of transportation for bicycles, which can be used by 8 pairs of bicycles of residents and tourists, and which travels every 12 minutes.
Travel and public transport
Cyclists will be able to return to the port from the lower cable car station through the bicycle path that is to be built on the Bat Galim Promenade and Huldah Promenade and with its continuation to the port, we have the Yaffe Nof route. This route will of course also serve all of the city island for domestic tourists who will arrive at the center station of the Hasmona and will allow an amazing trip using public transportation, by arriving with a bicycle to the Hasmona train (but unfortunately only during the hours that the Israel Railways allows bicycles to be loaded onto the trains, for the time being).
From the port to the Carmel forests
Another bike path can connect to the new cable car in the center of the bay and pass through Nahal Saadia (hopefully the municipality will take care of its pollution). The cable car allows you to put bicycles on the carriages, but unlike the small cable car in Stella Maris, the cable car is in constant motion and you need to find out about the safety involved.
An example of the safety hazard can be found in Ariel Margalit's response to the article we published in Hai Pa a few weeks ago:
"Today we took the cable car to the university. We were 14 mountain bikers. Each pair of bicycles took up an entire trailer. I found that getting on and off the trailer is not safe at all, to the point of a real risk involving injury to the bicycle owner in the trailer. It must be understood that the carriage at the station is in constant motion without stopping! When I got off the trailer I found myself outside, unable to get out of the trailer. Only when an employee present at the scene pulled the bike hard, I was able to get out. I highly recommend completely preventing the entry of bicycles into the carriages!'
do it right
I don't think that it is necessary, based on one case, to completely ban the uploading of bicycles, but we should definitely check how this is done in other places in the world, draw conclusions from the case, and also make sure that there are people at the platform who help properly, in order to ensure that such a case does not happen again in the future and, God forbid, we do not end up in a situation of injury . But if we overcome the safety issue, connecting the cable car with a continuous bike path to the port, we will make the stunning routes in Carmel accessible to everyone on the city island with ease and comfort.
From the port to the winery and back
A profit multiplier for Haifa's tourism can be by linking the city to the localities in the vicinity. For example, a continuation of the bike path from the Carmel beach to Atlit and even to Zichron Ya'akov, will allow residents and tourists to ride along the stunning beach, see flamingos in the ponds near Atlit, enjoy a chilled glass of rosé at the end of the ride in the wineries at the foot of Zichron and from there continue to the train station in Nimina (or the Zichron train station that will be built) and return to Haifa.
Like in Vienna
A similar thing exists in Vienna where people take a train to the Wachau valley and ride a bicycle along the Danube river (a distance like from Haifa to memory) between the vineyards, stop to drink wine and return to Vienna at the end of the route. This link encourages tourists to stay another night in Vienna and the same can be the case in Haifa. Haifa has an advantage, while in Vienna you have to take a train to the valley from Haifa you can go straight to the bike path along the coast.
if you want
We will return to our German riding group. In a few years we will be able to see cycling groups that arrive on cruises and decide in advance to stay longer in Haifa. They are just debating whether to go up to the bicycle path in Ypa Nof first, or to ride along the coastal path, or even to take the cable car and do a single in Carmel together with Haifaites and Israelis from all over the country who came to enjoy the most beautiful bicycle paths in the Mediterranean basin.
just waiting…
These plans are not a distant dream and can be realized in the near future. To implement them, you need a mayor and a municipality with vision and the support of the government ministries, in particular the Ministry of Transportation. But above all, we need residents who understand and recognize the enormous asset of their city, which is just waiting to be shaken off and become the bicycle pearl of the Mediterranean.
The cable car management stated in response:
Tests and experiments regarding bicycles were carried out in the past, as part of the preparation for its operation, therefore it was possible to bring riders with the bicycles up to now. We explain the process to the bike owners and help them, both uphill and downhill. Sometimes it happens that people are stressed on the way up or on the way out, and even then we help them with that. We had no unusual cases.
Haifa can - Haifa can't.
The residents are indifferent and allow the municipality of 4,500 officials to drink the development budgets of Haifa as salaries, expenses, holiday gifts and huge pensions.
Municipality employees receive hundreds of shekels more than any other public employee in holiday gift vouchers. Why? So. There is rampage in an attached company car instead of parking departmental vehicles, why? So. There are personal contracts and upgrading of jobs and standards in the hundreds of thousands of NIS spent per senior standard.. Why? because. Because they can, and the public is indifferent. indifferent to everything
Money for bicycle paths is going to hire an investigation office for the mayor to find dirt on the head of the budget committee in the city council.. 2 million shekels for investigations. There is always money to spend on that. Unbelievable what is happening in this city.
The bike gem of the Mediterranean….
As Israel is the tenth power.
"Haifa can" is the key word of this city.
The Haifaites, in my opinion, do not value anything and only complain.
Therefore, in my opinion, only another generation or two will be worth doing something economic in Haifa.
An interesting article that may inspire people (users and decision makers) to take action for our beautiful city. I would first concentrate on small projects, in the neighborhoods, as part of a master plan that also includes the options included in the article. In my neighborhood, Neve Shanan, where more than once, I have come across cases of near-accidents when young users almost collided with me on the sidewalk. We also need an action plan of "crazy talkers" who will arouse the interest of the bicycle infrastructure among the decision-makers. If I don't have me... I For example, willing to volunteer for such an activity.
Unequivocally, if there were designated routes for riding I wouldn't touch it. A car in the Haifa area, it's a shame that there isn't one and I don't see it in the future as well?
And where do I park when I return from work/trip/leisure?
Maybe sell my wife's car?.. mine too? Maybe the author of the article will sell his?…
Does someone owe you parking? It is definitely advisable that you sell the car to at least one of you, preferably that you also go to work by public transport. Those who live in a central thoroughfare full of public transportation do not need parking along the street just like Huldai did in Ibn Gvirol in Tel Aviv. No one should park in Moriah and Horev leaving only a few 20 minute parking spaces. Accustom the public not to reach them by car at all.
A private car is the problem, not the solution.
I really sold the car. I go to work by train there is an interview with me about it in De Marker welcome to read
This is true. Definitely. agree. Shalom and blessed Sabbath.
The first action that a mayor who wants to create a quality of life in Haifa should do is to cancel parking all along the Moriah, Horev and Abba Khushi axis. Make sidewalks with a bike lane and parking only for vendor trucks like in the Carmel center. Force everyone to come by bus, foot, bicycle and taxi. If there is a pleasant sidewalk and a bicycle lane between the center of Carmel and the university through Horev, it will improve the quality of life
in all of Carmel and will also prevent traffic jams from entering and exiting parking lots along Moriah and Horev.
All the spoiled generation with the budget pension and the compact jeep will leave it at home. Going to the cinema? go to the Cinematheque. Jumping into the wreck? Take a taxi and jump into Horev. Stop parking along the main roads in Haifa, just like in all the most beautiful cities in the world that we fly to and admire how beautiful and quiet and well-kept the streets are and how pleasant it is to walk there. Why? Because the vehicles were blown away and there is no parking on these streets.
This is a super important article about a proper and even essential cycling vision for the city of Haifa!
It's a shame .. the whole world is switching to driving bicycles .. only in Israel third world ..
Many good people have tried to act and demand a network of bicycle paths. Even a master plan in Haifa was prepared. Prepared for the drawer, of course. Like many initiatives and intentions - the plan for bicycle paths remains as an election slogan, and a title for a moment in the local communities. Yahav started this trick anyway. A decade ago, he announced the construction of a bicycle path from Atlit to Haifa (at least touristic, if not in the city). The newspaper was sent a simulation of a pair of bicycles over a bridge over a drainage canal at the beach. magnificent. Such a trail has never been made. Yona Yahav was not content with that, in his conferences he stated that all the beaches in Haifa would include bicycle paths and pointed to Dado Park as the first section. It's really nice, but since then there just aren't any other segments. Not only that, Yona Yahav distributed signs forbidding cyclists to use the Dado and Bat Galim promenades. This is undoubtedly how bicycle tourism is promoted.
Another wonderful opportunity was for Mr. Yahav when he renovated, of course the year before the elections (but what) half a kilometer of sidewalks in the center of Carmel. Even the planning was correct: wider sidewalks at the expense of parking lanes. What else? Bike paths were not put there. or in Moria. Or on any street in Carmel, and this despite the fact that you will see dozens of cyclists along Moriah, every morning and evening they use them for school and work. The same thing near the Technion. Or in a colony near Wicho. Or in the port campus. Everything, except bike paths. More parking for private cars, another parking lot for private cars, another street closure for restaurant chairs, and the cyclists? Outcasts from Haifa.
It was the struggle of the Green faction, which led to the opening of the Carmelite to bicycles. What is described here, already exists. just what? What do you do at all the stations with a pair of bicycles? Is there a trail in Golomb? Is there a path on Hanaviim Street? Is there a slope to manually unload bicycles in the staircases?
No, no and no.
The dream of a bicycle city will remain a dream. It will remain so, because in every "round table" discussion with neighborhood representatives, the mayor of Haifa hears about parking shortages, traffic congestion, parking shortages, and traffic congestion. The owners of the private car are silent on every other issue. "Arrange us an additional parking lot at the expense of...," these are the suggestions. At the expense of a neighborhood garden. At the expense of a playground or a corner of a square. And if there is no parking, they will go up with their ugly jeep on the sidewalks and break and blacken them. Why because if they bought a car, then with them they bought the road, and the sidewalks and the entire street "belongs only to the residents of the street" as Kirill Kartnik from the municipal council in Baal Shem Tov thinks. Now not only did the car owners buy parking spaces on the street, and on the sidewalks, now they own the entire street. did you know He no longer belongs to the general public.
When this is the trend, it is understandable that bicycles will continue to be a sport in Haifa on Route 4, in between incidents of riders being run over. Route 4 also has no bicycle lane. plane. Beautiful. touristic But there isn't. Governments don't care. Billions for exchanges and bridges for private car owners. A crumb here, a crumb there is thrown into the bike. In the center, there are already buds of change. But that's because urbanism is implemented in the center, and anti-urbanism is implemented in the periphery, and Haifa is a particularly backward periphery (and one of the reasons is the transportation policy that encourages private vehicles over any other means, while at the same time compacting the neighborhoods and adding 38% more vehicles, with 30% addition of public transport lines in the last 0 years).
I don't know where the promises of Klish and its people disappeared, everything disappeared as if it had never existed. The plan for paths and bicycle paths in the drawers of the director of engineering. The Ministry of Transportation and the municipality threw NIS 300 million into the trash on a cable car that runs almost empty, and is accumulating more losses that will only increase. The cost of building a kilometer of bike path is about NIS 2-3 million on average. In other words: 150 km of bike lanes could be paved in Haifa and connect it to Kiryat, Nasher, Tirat HaCarmel, Atlit and its suburbs with bike paths - all this at the cost of the cable car. For comparison, Tel Aviv has 160 km and is adding another 100 km every two years The nearest ones. And how many are there in Haifa? In Haifa there are 8 km of bicycle paths along the coast and in the "Showcase" program that was presented, there was talk of the construction of only 32 km of paths.
We will not be a bicycle city. We will be a city of traffic jams, pollution and overcrowding of vehicles on every street at every corner and on every sidewalk.
You took the words out of my mouth. Agree with every word.
I wish that a day would come and there would be a real change on the subject and not just empty election slogans.
It is a pleasure to read your articles. A resident who imposed himself and wants others to want to change things in our beautiful city. Well done !