sustainable Jerusalem

Demographic Scope, Proportion and Appropriate Distribution

Size of Population - How large should the population of Jerusalem be? The answer to this question is related to capacity. While most believe that a big city is a strong city, we must ask ourselves, is this the right concept for Jerusalem?

Characteristics - Will the city be divided or united with respect to Arab and Jewish residents, the religious and the secular? Today the characteristic ratio of Arab to Jewish residents is 30:70 (%), as is the ratio of ultra-orthodox to the rest of the City population. It is important to remember that these are only figures. The proportions do not reflect the quality and relative contributions of the different populations.

Distribution - How should the population be distributed throughout the city? What is the right proportion of built-up space to green space? Where should construction be allowed and where should it be restricted? Today the ratio of religious to secular populations is well known. There is, however, also a secondary distribution between the nationalist religious population and the secular. What is the nature of this distribution?

Quality Population and Image Enhancement

Investment in the Quality of the Population - Increasing the size of the population in Jerusalem will not necessarily make it a better and stronger city. A target population of 750-800,000 residents will suffice for the year 2020. The real efforts need not necessarily be invested in increasing the size of the population, but in increasing its quality, which is in fact the criterion that will potentially determine the image of the city in the future. The local population must be strengthened, and new, higher-quality populations should be attracted to the city. High level employment and educational opportunities must be made available for the young and mobile sectors of the population. Special benefits should be offered to students from out of town, in order to attract them to Jerusalem.

Improving the Quality of the Local Population - Measures to be taken include: enhancing the image of the city, increasing employment opportunities, promoting diversification of employment options, establishing centers of economic growth with an emphasis on high-tech opportunities, setting up new colleges for qualification in administrative, technological, and computer fields, revitalizing the city center, improving local infrastructure and services, constructing high-level residential facilities in the city center, minimizing tension among the different local groups.

Image Building - Jerusalem must improve its image among its own residents (self-image), as well as among the overall national population. This is essential in order to draw new population groups to the city, and to prevent the existing population from leaving.

Management - The different population groups must be better organized, with efficient local management systems in order to feel more secure, and acquire a positive self image. The establishment of active local residents' community councils, invested with power, responsibility, and authority, could contribute greatly to the realization of these goals.

Secondary School Education - One of the residential issues which is of particular concern to different population groups in Israel is the quality of public secondary school education in their neighborhoods. In order to attract new and high-level populations to Jerusalem, the quality of local high-school education must be improved.

Future City Limits, Urban Growth Patterns, and Spatial Interaction

City Limits - The future limits of the city of Jerusalem will be determined by physical as well as geo-political criteria. While patterns of urban sprawl resulting from natural physical growth must be studied and understood in order to plan the city's future, Jerusalem's actual future geo-political borders will be the result of scenarios unknown to us at the present time.

Urban Growth Patterns - Should the city's geo-political limits change, so will its urban growth pattern. As a result, in order to conceive of the city's potential future growth patterns, different geopolitical scenarios must be proposed, each resulting in different potential development implications. For example, development of the city towards the west will influence development in different areas such as housing construction and transportation, which will naturally have to spread out in that direction.

Timing of Growth Options - The issue of timing development beyond the current city limits, in the various different directions growth can take, is of great significance and must be considered in formulating appropriate urban planning scenarios.

Spatial Interaction - Jerusalem is composed of numerous different spatial environments, the Jewish environment, the Arab environment, and the natural environment. The question of how these environments will interact in the future under the different possible growth scenarios is very important and must be considered. The following questions should be asked: How should we coordinate planning efforts with the Arab sector? Should joint action groups be established? What would be the planning implications of another capital in Jerusalem, of embassies and consulates in both halves of the city? How would the city of Jerusalem interact with these environments? In the west, borders would most likely be open. Would they also remain open with the Arab population in the other directions?

Contact Points at the Entrances to the City - The different entrances to the city represent natural contact points between the Jewish and Arab populations. Potential future contact-points to be considered are Atarot Airport in the north, and perhaps a new park south of the city, which could serve as a focal point for interaction with the Arab population of Bethlehem.

Spatial Planning Concepts - The development of Jerusalem must be carried out in a framework of "live and let live," determining the actual growth of construction, road development, and infrastructure. The concept of "live and let live," could be regulated in law to assure an easy flow of development upholding the agreed values.

Metropolitan Growth

Urban Sprawl - The expansion of the city to the west, must be limited. City growth in the eastern and northeastern directions is preferable. A policy of increasing building densities in existing populated areas should be adopted, in order to protect open spaces with high ecological value.

Land Use and Building Density - Residential and commercial land use opportunities are still available within the existing city limits. Lots available for construction must be sought out and developed. Development in existing populated areas will depend on political decisions regarding the outer borders of the city of Jerusalem, and on the resulting urban development constraints.

Appropriate Mobility Levels and Integrated Transportation Planning

Spatial Mobility - What is the optimal level of spatial mobility for the city of Jerusalem in the future? From the transportation point of view, sustainable planning requires that the city become more and more compact, characterized by reducing the need for transportation from place to place, and within neighborhoods, and eliminating the need to commute out of town for work. The idea is to increase opportunities while decreasing mobility.

Public Transportation - How can public transport services be improved to compete with the use of private cars? What regulations must be introduced to manage parking needs and facilities?

Private Cars - How can the use of private cars be limited?

Integrated Planning - How can different land uses be integrated to reduce the need for commuting? How can an efficient, prioritized light-rail transportation system be established, with the required long-range funding, implementation of long-range programs, and adaptation to the city's future needs?

Urban Light Rail before Ring Roads, Reduction of Travel Needs, Limitation of Private Vehicles, Improvement of Public Transport Facilities and Accessibility to the Center, Strengthening of Local Neighborhoods without Affecting the Importance of the Center of Town.

Spatial Mobility - Efforts must be made to provide diversified services and establish service centers in local neighborhoods, close to existing transportation facilities. Improving the Public Transport System - The proposed light rail project must be completed before the construction of ring roads in order to reduce the stress that would result from the simultaneous construction of multiple infrastructure projects. The light rail must be integrated with the local bus system, in order to provide service to the surrounding neighborhoods not directly served by the light rail. The light rail must function as the "spine" of a wider integrated network of buses, to accommodate the public's daily transport needs. The concept behind this system is high frequency use of transportation on main arterial roads, with transfer to feeder buses distributing passengers to the local neighborhoods. The light rail will be given priority over buses and other vehicles, as well as a distinct headway at intersections. A common ticketing system must accompany the light rail, and it must have a good public information system to increase efficiency and the reliability of its use.

Limited Use of Private Vehicles - The construction of new access roads to Jerusalem should be postponed until the capacity of the current transport system is fully investigated. The impacts of Road No. 39 and Road No. 45 must be studied in advance, along with the improvements expected from the operation of the Jerusalem Light Rail, before opening Roads 16 and 19 for traffic. Management bodies must encourage their employees to car pool to their places of work. This could be regulated with a system of benefits and fines, whereby employers would have to meet certain car pool quotas in order to benefit from municipal support, to have their business licenses renewed, and to enjoy city tax cuts.

Integrated Planning - The planning of land use opportunities must be fully integrated with transportation needs. Planning must take into consideration the relationship between land use and transport, and strive to reduce the number of trips from satellite towns and suburban neighborhoods, making these places as independent as possible. This involves creating employment opportunities in suburban areas, and establishing local community and entertainment centers, without undermining the existing urban and regional employment structure (a very sensitive issue). This goal may be achieved by planning commercial centers along the light rail alignment.

Reduction of Neighborhood Traffic - May be achieved with the paving of comfortable pedestrian walks and bike paths, with especially easy access to bus stops, shopping centers, and schools. In addition, road bumps and other facilities must be constructed to reduce local traffic speed.

Improving Access to the Center of Town while Keeping Cars Out - Traffic congestion must be lowered in the center of town by introducing the following calming measures: (1) closing streets to through traffic, (2) creation of pedestrian malls including widening the existing pedestrian mall with access to King George and Hillel Streets, (3) provision of park and ride facilities on the outskirts of town, (4) revitalization of the city center with new land use regulations permitting the operation of round the clock services and facilities.

Protection of Historic Areas - Limitation of traffic flow on historic streets such as Hanevi'im and Mea Shearim Streets.

Postponing the Paving of Ring Roads until the completion of the Jerusalem Light Rail, in order to reduce the urban stress generated by the simultaneous implementation of several major construction projects.

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