A newly revised timetable will put the long-awaited Jerusalem light rail train in service by April 2010. The new public transportation option was initially set to launch in 2009, but was stalled due to lack of manpower and construction problems. The NIS 4.2 billion project is the first of its kind in Israel, and is being jointly funded by the Transportation Ministry and the Jerusalem Municipality.
According to a new agreement on the timeline and infrastructure, construction work to lay the tracks on Jerusalem's central Jaffa Road, which will begin in a month and a half, will be completed in a year and half instead of two years. Major downtown traffic jams are expected to result from the work.
To decrease the inconvenience posed to Jerusalem drivers, shuttles will operate from a car park at the International Convention Center to the city center. When the rail goes into use, it is expected to ease traffic congestion, improve access to the city center, and reduce smog.