Park to be built over Ayalon Freeway
According to revolutionary plan, Tel Aviv's noisy highway will be 'buried' inside tunnel covered with grass, flowers, running tracks and sports facilities
Tel Aviv's Ayalon Freeway is known for its traffic jams, noise and pollution. But according to a revolutionary plan, which sounds quite imaginary at this point, that will all be replaced with a green park which will be built above the busy highway.
According to the plan, which will hopefully be executed one day, the park will stretch over several kilometers from Arvei Nachal Street (which later turns into Arlozorov Street) to Yitzhak Sadeh Street, and will be built over the Ayalon Freeway, which will pass within a tunnel.
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In other words, the park will be the highway's "ceiling." Thanks to proper sound control, the park's visitors will not hear the traffic passing below them or breathe the smoke.
Due to the highway's interchanges, the park will comprise of three sections: From Arvei Nachal to Mozes Street, from Mozes to Hashalom Road, and from Hashalom to Yitzhak Sadeh Street.
The park will be covered with grass, flowers, running and cycling tracks and sports facilities. Cafés and restaurants will be built on its margins alongside hotels, office buildings and residential towers.
Sources involved in the planning say the park will connect the two parts of the city, making it easier for pedestrians to cross from the western side to the eastern side and vice versa – without the heavy traffic and noise they are forced to deal with today.
"The project will make it possible to create something out of nothing. We'll get a green area covering a busy road, reduce the noise and pollution, obtain land for the construction of additional buildings, expand the employment areas and make the two parts of the city accessible," one of the sources explained.
And back to reality: The plan is now being examined by various government ministries. In other words: Bureaucracy, bureaucracy and bureaucracy. If it does hit the road and if everything goes as planned, we'll be able to enjoy the new park in about 10 years.
