The Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety continues to promote the development of the national freight transportation system by rail: The National Planning and Building Council today (Tuesday) approved the Ministry of Transportation to submit the plan for establishing a rail freight terminal in Karmiel for comments from the district committees and the public - a significant step in increasing the volume of freight transported by rail and reducing truck traffic on Israel's roads.
As part of the discussion on the TAMA/76/D plan, the environmental impact assessment and environmental protection chapters were presented, and it was recommended that the plan be forwarded to the district committees for comments and public consultation.
The new terminal is planned to serve as a center for transporting freight by rail, and will include areas for unloading and loading cargo, warehouses, facilities and supporting structures. Its construction will allow a greater share of freight traffic to be transferred from road to rail and create a more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly transport system, and contribute to reducing transportation costs.
The terminal is planned adjacent to the future industrial zone in Karmiel and the Karmiel-Kiryat Shmona railway route, in a way that will allow for a direct connection in the future between the industrial and logistics centers in the north and the national rail network.
The terminal's location is expected to strengthen the transportation and logistics accessibility of the Galilee, support the development of industrial and employment areas, and improve connectivity between the north and production, trade, and port centers throughout the country.
The plan is part of a national array of freight terminals, in accordance with the strategic plan for the deployment of national freight terminals approved in 2020. The goal of the array is to increase the share of rail in freight transportation and reduce dependence on trucks traveling long distances on roads.
""Transferring freight from road to rail is expected to contribute to reducing traffic congestion, reducing heavy vehicle traffic, improving road safety, and reducing noise and air pollution, as well as reducing road erosion and maintenance costs," the Ministry of Transportation says.
At the same time, "the terminal will improve the efficiency of the supply chain and strengthen the economy's ability to transport cargo more reliably and efficiently, and thus will be integrated into the effort to reduce the cost of living for the Israeli family.".
