(haipo) The Knesset's Economics Committee unanimously approved the text of the bill to establish a metropolitan public transportation authority for Haifa and the surrounding area. The move means transferring the powers of management, planning, licensing and budgeting for public transportation from the government in Jerusalem directly to the new metropolitan authority, which will incorporate Haifa, the Krayot, Nesher, Tirat Carmel, Zevulun and Rechsim.
A new authority that will unite nine local authorities
The new metropolitan authority will unite under one administrative roof the local authorities: Haifa, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Ata, Tirat Carmel, Nesher, Zevulun Regional Council and Rechsim.
According to the approved law, which will soon be put to a decisive vote in the Knesset plenum, the Metropolitan Authority will begin its official operations in 2027 and will independently manage the entire public transportation system in the region. The move is described as historic for the northern region, as for the first time, substantial powers in the field of transportation will be transferred from the center to the local authorities themselves.
An intense political effort led by the deputy mayor
The unanimous approval of the text in the Economics Committee is the result of an intensive political and professional effort over the past month, led in the Knesset by Avihu Hahn, a member of the Knesset's Labor Party and Deputy Mayor of Haifa and holder of the Transportation and Road Safety portfolio. With the full support of Mayor Yona Yahav, Hahn came to the Knesset building numerous times, attended all the crucial discussions, participated in the professional committees, and held numerous conversations with Knesset members from both the coalition and the opposition in order to create broad consensus around the necessity of the move.
Hahn: "Our metropolis is officially on the map"
Deputy Mayor of Haifa, Avihu Hahn, He said: "I am happy and excited to announce that our metropolis is officially on the map. After an intense month in which I repeatedly came to the Knesset, discussed in committees and held lengthy conversations with MKs and professional figures, we have brought a tremendous achievement to all residents of the region." Hahn added that "We, together with our partners in Kiryat Yam, Motzkin, Bialik, ATA, Tirat Carmel, Nesher, Zevulun and Rechsim, know best which lines are necessary, where the metro needs to be reinforced and how to synchronize the infrastructure in the most appropriate way. From now on, every decision, from placing a single bus stop to planning the entire metropolitan network, will be ours."
Our goal is clear: to transfer the powers from the Ministry of Transportation from Jerusalem to here, to the field, and that is what we will do."
Congratulations.
Question: On what basis was it determined which municipalities and authorities would be included in such a metropolitan authority?
How is it possible that a metropolitan transportation authority in Haifa does not include Acre when a metro line is planned for Acre and Acre is part of the Gulf? How is it possible that Dalia and Isfaia are not in this authority when bus lines leave from Isfaia to Haifa and a large part of the public transportation from the university serves Dalia and Isfaia?
There is something really strange about the way the boundaries of this Haifa Metropolitan Authority were determined.