Binyamina, near Hadera, is the site of a central train station on the well-traveled route between Haifa and Tel Aviv. Trains pass through it approximately every 5-10 minutes during the day - as does a central highway. The barriers go up and down throughout the day, disrupting traffic. Sometimes, however, cars become stuck on the tracks, and pedestrians and vehicles occasionally try to cut around the barriers, leading to dangerous consequences.
Yesterday, the driver of a schoolbus filled with children became stuck on the tracks. He was able to extricate his passengers, and then the bus itself, just before a train came whizzing by. A similar incident six months ago ended with the ten passengers jumping out just seconds before their van was hit broadsided.
One local resident described it succinctly: "A problematic intersection." Another resident, whose 15-year-old nephew was killed by a passing train at that intersection a year ago, described the situation as a "time-sharing system." He said that at the very least, trains should be required to slow down when approaching the intersection.
Following yesterday's near-tragedy, and in the wake of last week's fatal Beit Yehoshua crash in which train cars overturned, Transportation Minister Sha'ul Mofaz ordered the Binyamina intersection to be closed to all cars and trucks.
Within an hour, however, the local authorities said they would not adhere to this instruction. "I’ll lie down on the tracks before I close this road," Binyamina Mayor Aryeh Zaitouni said. He said that this is a decree that the public cannot uphold.
An alternative underpass for vehicles not far from the controversial junction is suitable only for cars, but not for trucks and buses.
A spokesman for Israel Railways told Arutz-7 that the Transportation Minister had issued an order, and "we live in a country governed by law." He said that a plan is being formulated for that junction.
There has long been talk of building an overpass for the road, but nothing has yet been done. Mayor Zaitouni said last week that at this rate, "even ten years from now, there won't be an overpass. A special governmental task force must be set up just for this purpose."
Yesterday, the driver of a schoolbus filled with children became stuck on the tracks. He was able to extricate his passengers, and then the bus itself, just before a train came whizzing by. A similar incident six months ago ended with the ten passengers jumping out just seconds before their van was hit broadsided.
One local resident described it succinctly: "A problematic intersection." Another resident, whose 15-year-old nephew was killed by a passing train at that intersection a year ago, described the situation as a "time-sharing system." He said that at the very least, trains should be required to slow down when approaching the intersection.
Following yesterday's near-tragedy, and in the wake of last week's fatal Beit Yehoshua crash in which train cars overturned, Transportation Minister Sha'ul Mofaz ordered the Binyamina intersection to be closed to all cars and trucks.
Within an hour, however, the local authorities said they would not adhere to this instruction. "I’ll lie down on the tracks before I close this road," Binyamina Mayor Aryeh Zaitouni said. He said that this is a decree that the public cannot uphold.
An alternative underpass for vehicles not far from the controversial junction is suitable only for cars, but not for trucks and buses.
A spokesman for Israel Railways told Arutz-7 that the Transportation Minister had issued an order, and "we live in a country governed by law." He said that a plan is being formulated for that junction.
There has long been talk of building an overpass for the road, but nothing has yet been done. Mayor Zaitouni said last week that at this rate, "even ten years from now, there won't be an overpass. A special governmental task force must be set up just for this purpose."