The Blue Line in Jerusalem

The Blue Line is a 21km stretch of light rail that will connect Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood in the north to Gilo and Malha, in the south.

The Blue Line, part of the system of lines currently being planned in Jerusalem, will change transportation in the city and become an essential part of Jerusalem’s appearance and character. One of the city’s three light rail lines, it starts in the Ramot neighborhood in the north and ends in the south with two stations, one in Gilo and the other in Malha.

The route runs along Golda Meir Street, through the Har Hotzvim industrial zone, into a tunnel from Strauss to Yekhezkel. It then continues to King George Street after crossing Jaffa Street, where the Red Line passes, to the First Station transportation hub that includes an extensive network of feeder lines. From here, one branch continues south-west, near the Malha Arena, mall and park, ending at Modai Station. The other branch continues south along Hebron Road to the Gilo neighborhood. Along the way, two multi-level parking lots are planned to encourage use of the light rail.

Challenges of this project included integrating the light rail into Jerusalem’s difficult topography, which includes steep, long inclines. In addition, we had to find the best route for maximum riders and quick service time, and transition to existing, populated neighborhoods where the streets are narrow and residents are sensitive. Construction was coordinated to take as little time as possible, so interference with day-to-day life would be minimal.