The Jerusalem Municipality will begin a pilot project in which the traffic and parking arrangements in the Nachlaot area and the Mahane Yehuda market will be changed. Agripas Street in Jerusalem will become a one-way street on Thursday and Friday evenings, and the Nachlaot North neighborhood will be closed to private vehicles except for neighborhood residents
Nadlan Center
Starting tomorrow (Thursday), the Jerusalem Municipality will launch a pilot project to turn the city center’s touristic and busy Agripas Street into a pedestrian mall during weekends. The change in traffic and parking arrangements in the Nachlaot area and the Mahane Yehuda market is intended to increase pedestrian safety and improve neighborhood residents’ and market traders’ quality of life.
As part of the pilot, Agripas Street in the capital’s center will become a one-way street on Thursday evenings and Fridays and partly serve as a pedestrian street. The plan’s main points include regulating traffic and parking in the Nachlaot neighborhood, reducing traffic congestion, and increasing the walking space on Agripas Street. The pilot will run every Thursday from 18:00 until the beginning of Shabbat and will last for about three months.
The municipality said, “The pilot was formulated in cooperation with the Lev Ha’ir Community Administration, the Mahane Yehuda Market Merchants Committee, and the Israel Police, and is intended to turn the historic neighborhood into a safer, more accessible, and enjoyable space for its residents, merchants and many visitors. The Nachlaot North neighborhood’s picturesque alleys and the lively Mahane Yehuda market attract thousands of daily visitors. However, the movement of private vehicles in the neighborhood creates a lot of congestion, harms pedestrian safety, and makes it difficult for residents. The new pilot is designed to address these challenges while preserving the neighborhood’s unique character and responding to the needs of merchants and market visitors.”
In Nachlaot, only neighborhood residents will be allowed to travel
As part of the arrangement, Agripas Street – from Shukanyon to Shilo Street – will operate as a regular transportation route, and in the upper section between Shiloh Street and Ki’ach, only travel will be permitted to public transportation and those with a regional parking permit, throughout the week. The lane descending in the direction of Agripas Street (from Ki’ach Street to Beit Yaakov Street) will be closed for vehicle traffic during the pilot days, except for a small section between Halhul and Ha’armonim Streets. To enable mobility around the neighborhood’s streets, parking in nearby parking lots and unloading and loading in the Eini Building and Mahane Yehuda Street.
Travel on the Agripas section (between Ha’armonim and Beit Yaakov Streets) will not be possible. During the rest of the week (Sunday-Wednesday), this route will continue to function as a public transportation route only, as it has been functioning until today. In addition, from the Eini parking lot, you can turn onto Ha’armonim Street. Bus traffic on the route closed on Thursdays until the beginning of Shabbat will continue as usual with bypass routes. In addition, vehicles will be allowed to enter and exit the streets that connect to Agripas Street.
In the Nachlaot neighborhood, parking and vehicle traffic will be allowed only by neighborhood residents – in the section between Bezalel Street and Agripas Street. In addition, smart electronic barriers will be installed at the entrances to Nachlaot North, allowing movement and parking of vehicles of only those with a 6 permit in the neighborhood. The checkpoints will be automatically opened to vehicles with a regional mark. In cases with a special need (moving house, transporting heavy electrical appliances, etc.), entry to the neighborhood will be arranged by prior arrangement Through a designated hotline operated by the community administration. In addition, the entry of transportation vehicles for the elderly will be approved, as well as the entry of emergency vehicles, operating vehicles, maintenance, and cleaning.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon said closing the street is important news for the residents of Jerusalem, for the benefit of buyers and visitors to the Mahane Yehuda market, merchants, and residents of the Nachlaot neighborhood. “This is a significant step towards improving safety, accessibility, and the visitor experience in the area. The program will help reduce traffic congestion, increase walking space, and enable a safer and more pleasant visit experience in the market. I welcome the fruitful cooperation with the region’s residents, the merchants, and the various parties.”
