Israel Approves First Metro Station Construction Work

For the first time since the planning of the Gush Dan metro network began, authorization has been granted for the construction of a metro station in Israel. The National Licensing Authority within the Planning Administration announced Tuesday that it has approved the construction of the underground structure for the Ariel Sharon Park station, which will be part of the M3 line. This marks a significant step from the planning and preparatory stages to the actual construction of metro stations.

The planned work involves excavating and removing approximately 300,000 cubic meters of earth, constructing underground support walls to a depth of about 38 meters, and preparing the infrastructure for the metro tracks. According to the Planning Administration, these works are expected to take around 25 months. However, the approval does not guarantee immediate commencement, as NTA, the company responsible for building the network, is preparing to issue tenders for the work.

The Ariel Sharon Park station will be part of the M3 line, one of three planned metro lines in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. This line is designed to be a peripheral route connecting Bat Yam, Holon, Ariel Sharon Park, the Ono Valley, the area of Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, Petah Tikva, Ramat Hachayal, Kiryat Shaul, Glilot, Ramat HaSharon, and Herzliya, with a planned spur to Ben Gurion Airport.

Even if the underground structure of the Ariel Sharon Park station is completed on schedule, it cannot serve passengers until the necessary infrastructure for the line's operation is finished. The station is located on the western arm of the M3 line, and authorization for any station in the central segment of the line, stretching from Herzliya and branching out near Or Yehuda, has not yet been granted, despite the completion of planning for some of these stations. NTA's timelines indicate that metro operations are scheduled to begin in 2037.

This current approval comes over four years after the government approved the M3 line plan in June 2022. In August 2023, the winners of the tender for the planning and execution management of all three metro lines were announced. Since then, planning and licensing procedures have continued, involving coordination with infrastructure bodies like the Electric Company and Mekorot, as well as local authorities and government ministries. The Planning Administration explained that the authorization was granted after completing professional coordination and approving the engineering and environmental aspects of the work, partly in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Shira Brand, Acting Chairwoman of the National Infrastructures Committee, stated, "The approval of the first authorization for the construction of a metro station in Israel is a significant moment in advancing the most important infrastructure project for the future of transportation in Israel. After years of complex planning, we are moving to the execution stages of a transportation system that will change the face of the metropolis and impact the lives of millions of residents."