ProjectBrief
Jerusalem LEZ Plan is Looking for Partners
towards MG-4.1 Call in Horizon 2020
Background
ThecityofJerusalemhasbeenengagedinacomprehensivedevelopmentandtransportationplanfocused
inwardonthecitycenterandoutwardonthegreatermetropolitanareatomeetthedualchallengeof
meetingtheneedsofitsmulti-culturalpopulationandatthesametimebeingabletohostitsmanyvisitors
whocometoexperienceitshistorical,religious,andculturalheritage.Acriticalfactorinthecity’sabilityto
functionsustainablyasaGlobalcityservingpeoplefromaroundtheworldisimprovingitstransportation
systemsuchthatitcansupporttheneedsofthegrowingmetropolisintermsofmobilityandpublichealth.It
iscriticaltomovebeyondonlypreventingincreasingpollutiontothenextstageofreducingthelevelof
hazardousemissions.
Thecity’stransportationplanisbaseduponapolicyofinvertingthemobilityhierarchyinwhichnonmotorizedpedestrianandcyclingtransportationaregiventhehighestpriorityfollowedbypublic
transportationandthenfinallyprivatevehicles.Thisalsomergeswiththecity’senvironmentalplanto
furtherreduceairpollutionlevelsthroughoutthecitybutespeciallyinthecitycenterarea.Alreadythecity
centerhasbeentransformedintoapedestrianwalkwaywiththefirstlightrailserviceasitsbackbonewith
airpollutionratesalongtheLRTcorridordownover70%fromprecedingyears.Thisisafirststeptowards
implementinganintegratedtransportationsystemthatwillensurecleanandefficientaccesstopoints
throughoutthecity,withaplannednetworkof6interconnectedlineslinkingneighborhoods,thecitycenter,
andhistoricalsites.
Furtherqualityoflifegainsarehopedtobeachievedbytheimplementationofalowemissionszone(LEZ)in
thecitycenter,limitingaccesstoheavyvehicles(busesandtrucks)inordertopermitofonlythosewho
meetthelowemissionstandards.Thiswilljumpstarttheexistinginitiativeofbusproviders(publicand
private)upgradingtheirfleetsandofmerchantssendingfreightonlighter,cleanertrucks.Thismeasureis
expectedtoreduceairpollutionlevelsprimarilywithintheLEZbutwillalsocascadetotherestofthecity
withspilloverbenefitsoflowemissionvehiclestravelingonstreetsoutsideofthecordon.
Goals
TheprimarygoaloftheprojectbeingproposedhereinthecontextofHorizon2020istolearnfromthe
experienceofothercitiesintheimplementationofLEZsandsharetheknowledgeaccruedhereinorderto
introduceinnovationstoreducethenegativeimpactsoftransportationontheenvironmentandhuman
wellbeing/health.
Theintentionistoshareknowledgeandimplementnewsolutionsthatcanbestenableoperationalizingan
LEZtoreduceharmfulemissionsspecificallyinthecitycenterthroughanoptimaluseoftechnologies,
policies,andenforcement,specificallywiththeassistanceofICTandpicture-processingtechnologies.
AnIntegrativeApproach
ThecityofJerusalemisreadytocreateitsownnextgenerationLEZtorestrictthemovementofpolluting
vehiclesinenvironmentallysensitiveandhighpopulationconcentrationareas.
AmajorchallengefacingJerusalemlikeothercitiesisthetransitionfromtheplanningstagesof
transportationtotheongoingmanagementoftransportation.Thisbyitsnatureinvolvesnotonly
introducingnewtechnologiesbutrestructuringthemanagementoftransportation.Thisrequireslookingat
citymanagementnotonlyasaplanningandinfrastructureprovidingprocess,butonethatintegratesthe
usersasactiveprovidersofinformationinanautomatedandautonomoussystem.
Wearefacedwiththechallengeofhowtobestusetheroleofcitygovernmenttoregulate,plan,and
mobilizethecommunityinthedevelopmentofthenextgenerationofLEZtechnologies,businessmodels,
andregulations.
ComponentsoftheProposedInnovationAction(IA)Program
TheEuropeanUnion’sProgramHorizon2020MG-4.1callaffordsanopportunitytopartnerwithothercities
inEuropeinordertomeettheoverallgoalof"increasingthetake-upandscale-upofinnovativesolutionsto
achievesustainablemobilityinurbanareas".Weareopentopartnersandcooperationwithcities,academic
institutions,andprivatefirmsonrelevantandsimilarideasforthedevelopmentandimplementationof
innovationsregardingtheLEZplanandothersustainabletransportationactivities:
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developingthenextgenerationofLEZtechnologies,businessmodel,andregulations
smartinformationandcommunicationstechnologies(ICT)andpictureprocessingtechnologiesin
ordertoefficientlyidentifyvehiclesenteringtheLEZtodetermineiftheyareinviolationoftheentry
regulations
developmentofmanagementsolutionsforintroducingnewtechnologiesandregulations
developingofsharedmodelsforplanningandmanagementresponsestoongoingissuesof
emissionscontrolandseamlesstravel
professionalexchangesaroundcommonissuespertainingtosustainablemobility
Initialfocalpointforprojectproposal
1. Identifyandimplementnewtechnologiesandregulationsforreducingcitycentervehicleemissions,
withafocusonICTandpicture-processingtechnologies
2. Facetofaceseminars,professionalexchanges,andstudytrips
3. Formativeevaluationandconsultations
4. Publicengagementandstrategicplanningforsustainablemobility
Status
Weareseekingothercitiesthatfacesimilarchallengesinthetransitionfromplanningtomanagementof
transportation,especiallyLEZs,thatareinterestedinintroducingnewmanagementframeworksbasedon
newtechnologies.ThetargetisthedevelopmentofajointproposalfortheHorizon2020MG-4.1call.
InterestedPartiescancontactNimrodLevyoftheJerusalemMunicipality:[email protected]