Carmel Tunnels

Haifa is joining larger cities like Stockholm, Singapore, Paris, Melbourne, and Tokyo in major tunneling to solve urban traffic problems. Preliminary designs are complete for toll tunnels under Mount Carmel, where the Hebrew prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal vied for the allegiance of the Israelites). It is also the prominent mountain around which the third major city of Israel has developed — Haifa (metro area pop. 500,000).

The old part of Haifa and its major business center and port are located on a narrowish coastal promontary beneath 550m (1800’) Mount Carmel, part of a range which forms a barrier, forcing through traffic to hug the coast and go through Haifa. Much of the high ground is now developed but Carmel roads are steep and winding. The tunnels project will relive congestion downtown and provide improved connections to the residential areas around the Mount, via the high Giborim valley.

The proposed system of tunnels and interchanges runs east-west right under the summit of Mount Carmel. Going from the west at Carmel Beach under the main Mount will be a pair of 2-lane mixed traffic tunnels sloping up at a grade of 3.5% and 3.1km (c2ml) long. They emerge into the Giborim Valley a residential area overlooking the city and Bay below. The expressway is to span the valley on a 500m long bridge with ramps to the Ruppin Interchange to connect with local traffic. Then continuing east traffic enters the portal of one of another pair of similar 2-lane tunnels sloping steeply (6%) down for just 1.6km (1ml) emerging at an interchange at Kriot (Checkpost) west of Haifa.

Toll plazas are envisaged at each end, and will be collected electronically. Traffic forecasts suggest in the absense of tolls 24,000 to 27,000 veh/day in the Eastern Tunnels and 20,500 to 23,400 in the Western Tunnels. Environmental impact assessments have been conducted. There was some local opposition according to the consultant but it was weak. Detailed requests for proposals are expcted before the end of the year. (Contact Ron Tamir, Amy-Meton Consultants 972 4 867 2957)