Importance of the Project
Jericho city has a high percentage of people in the West Bank, from all ages and both genders, who use bicycles as their transportation mean to travel from one place to another. Tourists who visit Jericho and its historical places use bicycles to enjoy their trips.
Most of Jericho roads have the possibility of widening and expansion, but still within the roads’ right of way widths, thus plan to get advantage of this by adding bicycle lanes. With the global concerns about energy shortages, fuel emissions, and congestion, the world is focusing more and more on promoting non-motorized active transportation as an alternative means for automobile driving.
Problem Definition
Since bicycles are widely used in Jericho, and with the fact of absence of special bicycle lanes in the city, except for a short segment on Jerusalem Road, it is necessary to consider a new design for such facilities in order to decrease the congestion and the irregularity caused by bicycles in the traffic flow stream. Also, this irregularity caused a decrease in the safety level due to the mixed traffic vehicles.
Most of Jericho city roads have the capability of widening and expansion, but there are other roads that can’t be widened because of limited available right of way.
Many historical places are located in Jericho city; therefore, the bicycle network is preferred to connect these places together to provide circulation among these places. Therefore, this consideration is taken during the study and planning and design processes of the network.
Objectives
This project has an impact in many fields; traffic, congestion, environment, cost and time as summarized below:
· Laying out the principles of planning and designing the facilities of bicycles in Palestine.
· Enhancing the use of existing and planned transportation network and facilities considering bicycles.
· Decreasing travel time delay of vehicular traffic through the city.
· Conserving the energy by decreasing the fuel consumption.
· Saving the environment from the pollution produced by fuel emissions.
· Improving the users’ health status and promoting an alternative non-motorized active transportation mode.
· Encouraging tourism and recreational activity in the city and providing attractive transporting options.