Tel Aviv to convert 11 city center streets into pedestrian zones

The Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality will convert 11 popular streets into pedestrian zones shut to vehicles in the coming weeks, seeking to encourage local trade and make the city more pedestrian-friendly.

During the next month, segments of Ashtori Hafarhi Street, Nahalat Binyamin, HaArba'a Street, Florentin Street, HaAliya HaShniya Street, Daniel Street, Aluf Batslut Street, Najara Street, Simtat Beit HaBad (evening and overnight only), Yossi Ben Yossi Street and Sgula Street (in Jaffa) will be converted into pedestrian areas.

Chairs and street furniture will be rolled out on some of the newly-pedestrianized streets, which will join the municipality's existing car-free zones on Sheinkin Street which will be shut to vehicles for extended hours on Fridays, and on Levinsky Street, which will soon be restricted to pedestrians and cyclists at all times.
"Creating pedestrian zones in the city is part of an overall outlook placing pedestrians, personal transportation vehicles and public transportation at the center," said Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai.

"In the past year, we have converted Levinsky Street into a pedestrian zone and shut Sheinkin Street to traffic on Fridays, and the public has voted with their feet – in both senses of the phrase."

To facilitate the initiative, modifications will be made to on-street loading zones, cars will not be permitted to park outside stores, and restaurants and food stalls will be allowed to place tables and chairs outside in accordance with municipal regulations.

Efforts have commenced in recent days to explain the changes to local residents and business owners, the municipality said, prior to sealing off selected streets to traffic.