Israel Matzav: Tram to connect Jewish Quarter to Western Wall

Tram to connect Jewish Quarter to Western Wall

A tram - maybe like the one at left - may soon connect the Old City of Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter with the Western Wall Plaza.

The tram, which is to be named for Baruch Klein, a resident of the Quarter who is financing the project, will descend from Tiferet Yisrael Street, and then enter a 56-meter long tunnel, where riders will exit.

The project is being directed by the Jewish Quarter Preservation and Development Company.

Company director Nissim Arazi told Israel National News that the tram could be extended to reach the Herodian Quarter (the Wohl Archaeological Museum) - an area with many well-preserved buildings from the Second Temple era that is impossible for individuals with physical limitations to reach.

"Some 10 million visitors come to the Old City each year," Arazi said. "The Jewish Quarter has been partially outfitted to enable disable people to reach important sites, but because of worries about preserving the site archaeologically, we were unable to build a connection between the Jewish Quarter and the Kotel Plaza. The tram will enable limited mobility individuals, such as the elderly or families with small children, to easily move back and forth between the two areas."

"This has long been a dream of Mr. Klein's and of the municipality, and it is only due to technological advancement that the project can now become a reality," Arazi added.

I'd want to see a picture, but my first reaction is that it sounds like an out-of-place eyesore. That horrible wooden ramp to the Temple Mount is bad enough!

Israel Matzav: Tram to connect Jewish Quarter to Western Wall