OY! Jerusalem

A major intersection in Jerusalem near the Municipal Buildings is named Kikar Zahal in honor of the Israeli armed forces. It used to be known as Parachutist's Square but that was changed many years ago. It is formed from the intersection of Kvish1, Shlomo Hamelech Street, Jaffa Street and Shivtei Yisroel Street. Crossing from one corner to its diagonally opposite corner can take several minutes because of the way the lights are set. There is some meaning to the madness which I can't quite figure out but it is a life threatening act to cross against the light.

This intersection is the construction unions' sugar daddy. I can't remember a time when they were not either digging it up, covering it up or just leaving it for weeks on end in an in-between state, complete with heavy steel plates that you can easily trip over, piles of paving stones and heaps of rubble, to say nothing of the construction equipment which block lanes in a very busy trafficway. In all this time, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable difference to the street or sidewalk. Just the other night some construction vehicles were doing something to the street that necessitated closing a lane and led to a massive backup. The next morning they removed the heavy machinery and left only a 12 foot by 6 foot portion of the pavement completely scraped away to the base layer of roughened stone.

(Between writing the lines above and this writing, I actually tripped and fell over some unevenness in the pavement at this very intersection)

This intersection is chronically backed up especially in the afternoon and early evening hours. The Jerusalem Light Rail system is supposed to remedy at least the bus traffic which may solve some of the other traffic problems as well. This event, eagerly awaited by many but whose eventual occurrence is as equally doubted, has been in the construction and planning stage for about 12 years and is currently expected (by the authority who runs the thing) to begin operations this coming spring 2011. The first phase which is now finishing up will provide transportation from the northernmost end of Jerusalem to one of its southern suburbs, the trip taking about 25 minutes. This is a vast improvement over the current interminable ride by wheeled vehicle, public or private.

I have seen some of the rolling stock actually rolling in test runs and it warms my heart. I am among the more avid fans of the system and have been waiting since 2008 to see the system in real time operation.

The intersection of which I spoke is a major turning point in the light rail route turning the north-south route to east-west until the next turning point, at the new, landmark, cable-stayed bridge back to north-south. The turn has been the cause for much of the construction at this intersection since the distance between the pairs of tracks increases as it rounds the bend. I don't think they got it right the first few times they tried it.

So all is in readiness for the grand opening six months hence. The only thing they haven't quite figured out is where to route the buses that currently are riding along the right of way and there is no room for vehicular traffic once the rail line is open.

Rumor has it that there is no plan.