Tel Aviv Central Bus Station Evacuation Faces Delays and Skepticism
The Ministry of Transportation announced a significant step towards evacuating Tel Aviv's Central Bus Station, following parliamentary approval to rezone land near Holon Junction for a new public transport terminal. This new terminal is planned to accommodate approximately 60% of the current bus station's operations, serving as a key component in the evacuation plan.
However, Tel Aviv city officials are tempering expectations. Meital Lehavi, Deputy Mayor for Transportation, stated that the committee's approval does not signal the start of construction or building permits. She also pointed out that the new terminal will only handle 60% of the traffic, necessitating a further solution for the remaining operations. Lehavi expressed that, despite the Ministry's announcements, the evacuation of the central bus station still appears complex and distant.
The new terminal is scheduled to open in 2031 and is considered a temporary solution. It is intended to operate until a permanent center is established in the Ben Tzvi area of Holon. The initiative to move the station stems from a 2022 declaration by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which designated the area around the central bus station as a polluted air zone under the Clean Air Law.
The declaration cited heavy traffic and vehicle emissions, particularly from diesel buses and service taxis, as contributing to high concentrations of harmful pollutants, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which the World Health Organization classifies as carcinogenic. The Ministry of Transportation's announcement aims to address these environmental concerns by relocating a significant portion of the bus traffic.
