Building a 130-meter pedestrian tunnel in Jerusalem will take 3 years

An important project to connect one of Jerusalem's major hospitals to the light rail in the city: the Finance Committee of the Jerusalem municipality approved the transfer of 73 million shekels this week for the construction of a tunnel that will connect the new building of Shaare Zedek Hospital to the Red Line station of the light rail in the city, Yefe Nof station on Hertzel Boulevard. The funding came from the Transportation Ministry.

Shaare Zedek receives tens of thousands of employees and visitors to the hospital every day. Currently, accessibility from Yefe Nof station to the hospital requires crossing five intersections, walking over 300 meters, most of which are on narrow sidewalks and a significant slope.

The 130-meter tunnel, planned by the Transportation Master Plan team in Jerusalem and carried out by the Moriah company, is expected to significantly improve accessibility to the medical center, especially for people with disabilities, the elderly, and individuals with baby strollers. It will connect to the new building of Shaare Zedek currently being constructed above the underground parking lot of the medical center.

However, the excavation of tunnels when done by the State of Israel is still a lengthy process: the construction of the tunnel, equipped with ventilation systems, electricity, escalators, and elevators, will begin in 2024 and will take three years to complete.