Following the serious accident in Dania • Will the safety hazards in the neighborhood finally be addressed?

(haipo) After years of warnings, resident appeals, and patrols that did not lead to change, the serious accident that occurred on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, resurfaced the issue of road safety in the Danya neighborhood.

This morning (1/11/26), neighborhood activists met with the municipal administration and professionals for a field tour, at the end of which it was agreed to promote a comprehensive plan to address the safety deficiencies, present the plan to residents within a month, and begin implementation in the coming months. Will the promises become reality this time?

This morning, a work tour was held in the Danya neighborhood, with the participation of neighborhood activists and representatives of the municipal administration and the traffic, operations and roads departments, with the aim of once again highlighting a long list of safety and infrastructure hazards that endanger pedestrians and road users in the neighborhood. The meeting was attended by resident representatives Einat Gerber, Liron Sharvit, Zvika Rom, Amir Tanos, Noy Salz and other activists.

The tour was led by Deputy Mayor Avihu Hahn, along with the municipality's professional team, including Operations Manager Yehuda Ben Ezra, Jana Gurevich, Director of the Roads Department, Moti Marom, and Ziv.

During the tour, residents presented the defects and dangers on the neighborhood's streets, with an emphasis on Danya Street, the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, and in the area of ​​the intersection of Danya and Ivory Coast streets, near the Lotem Scouts' Tribe.

Years of warnings and hazards that have not yet been addressed

The issue of road safety in Denya is not new. About two years ago, tours were held with the deputy mayor and traffic department personnel, during which residents presented the problems on Denya, Antwerp, and Finland streets and the urgent need for additional crosswalks and traffic calming measures.

However, according to the activists, despite the tours, meetings, and repeated appeals to the municipality, no significant changes have been made on the ground to date. Even personal appeals from residents have not led to a solution.

One of the main problems that residents point out is the lack of crosswalks in the neighborhood. On Danya Street, along the main thoroughfare, there is only one crosswalk. This reality forces children, teenagers, and adults to cross the road in unregulated places, at real risk.

The danger is particularly pronounced among neighborhood children and youth on their way to the Lotem Scouts' Village, especially on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, when activities are held during the village. Many children are forced to cross Danya Street without a regulated crosswalk, as vehicles speed along the road.

According to the residents, in the past it was explained to them that the road conditions did not allow for the installation of crosswalks along Danya Street. However, in their eyes, it is precisely the transportation complexity of the neighborhood - the wide roads, the sharp gradients and the heavy traffic - that requires finding solutions, not accepting the existing situation.

The writing is on the wall at the Sweden-Finland intersection as well.

Meir Nachshon, a resident of the neighborhood, tells Lipah: "When crossing the crosswalk in Finland, from north to south, the pedestrian's and the approaching driver's field of vision is limited to the middle of the road. This is a real safety hazard, which could cause accidents, and if it is not addressed, such accidents could continue to occur. In addition, he says, the concrete pillars placed at the intersection have already been damaged and destroyed several times by vehicles that have collided with them. The writing on the wall is clear: we should not wait for a serious accident to address the safety deficiencies. Immediate intervention by the responsible parties is required."

Demand for clear solutions and timetables

The serious accident that occurred on Tuesday, 10/13/26, resurfaced the dangers and gave additional urgency to the residents' demands. Following it, neighborhood activists renewed the fight to improve safety, this time demanding that they not be satisfied with patrols and promises, but rather that an organized work plan be formulated with clear schedules for implementation.

During the morning meeting, the activists demanded that a comprehensive safety survey be conducted on all streets in the neighborhood, to map the hazards and present practical solutions for each of them.

Among the demands raised:

• Reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h in appropriate areas.
• Adding crosswalks on Danya Street and at nearby intersections and streets.
• Placing pedestrian crossings near bus stops, playgrounds and children's activity centers.
• Adding speed bumps and speed limiters and repairing existing facilities, including adjusting their height to the standard.
• Examining the establishment of traffic circles at problematic intersections.
• Posting traffic signs and speed limits, especially before crosswalks.
• Increasing enforcement against drivers who drive at excessive speed.
• This time, schedules were also set.

During the tour, Avihu Han demanded that the professional authorities advance the issue on a defined schedule and not leave the treatment without a clear date. According to the summaries presented at the meeting, within two weeks the planning and work directions will be formulated, within a month a comprehensive plan will be presented to the residents, and in the coming months work is expected to begin to implement the approved solutions.

His father Han said to Hai Pa: "We met with the residents and responsible representatives and saw firsthand the hazards that require treatment. We agreed on courses of action."

Will Danya get the long-awaited change this time?

For the residents of Dania, this is a struggle that has lasted for years, and a basic demand: to allow children, pedestrians, and all road users to move safely through the neighborhood's streets.

The serious accident once again illustrated the potential cost of neglecting safety hazards. Now that another inspection has taken place and schedules have been set for planning and progress, it remains to be seen whether this time things will translate into work on the ground.

Residents expect to see not just a plan on paper, but crosswalks, traffic calming, infrastructure repairs, and safety measures that will reduce the danger and prevent the next accident.