As part of a new municipality initiative to reduce the number of private cars in the inner city, a ban on vehicles on (parts of) Levinsky Street is now in effect.
Locals rejoice! Gone are the days when weekly shopping means getting squeezed into the cracks of the narrow sidewalks of the Levinsky Market. Those cracks have taken over the street which means no longer will you have to fear for your life just to buy some spices, or have your eardrums burst on account of honking horns in such a compact area. Finally, the Levinsky Market may actually begin to feel like a market.
As of December 16, the Florentine favorite got a small but significant adjustment. Blockades have been placed at the intersections from HaShuk to HaAliyah Street, making Levinsky a pedestrian-only zone, although traffic will still be permitted to cross from the intersecting streets of Nachalat Binyamin, Merhavia, Zevulun and HaHalutzim. Colorful tables and chairs have been scattered throughout the market, adding flair to the rundown aesthetic that characterizes Levinsky Street while providing an enhancement to public spaces that can be enjoyed by all.
Levinsky Street © Jacob Jaffe
The change came from the city municipality's ambitious plan to begin to phase out private cars from the inner city as a part of the continued attempt to battle the effects of climate change and over-congested urbanization. Mayor Ron Huldai has continually fought to reverse the "transportation pyramid" by attempting to reduce the usage of private cars to just 25% by 2030, effectively placing pedestrian traffic higher in the transportation hierarchy. Huldai's initiative claims that, "By 2030 there will be fewer vehicles and more trees, and thus we will achieve a better and healthier environment", referencing the construction of the new light rail transit system to help achieve this goal. Huldai also claims that by 2030 all public buildings in Tel Aviv will be run by 100% renewable energy, an impressive feat if actually accomplished.
The Levinsky Market's renovations seem to foreshadow the future of Tel Aviv as a whole, inspiring hope in its residents that their beloved city will continue to adapt to their needs. For now, the new pedestrian area of Levinsky street act as a pilot test for plans of action to be implemented throughout the rest of Tel Aviv. There's no blueprint for how to redesign a city to meet its changing demands, as the problems we face today are ones that have never been faced before. But that doesn't mean that we should stop demanding change itself. Although the modification of the Levinsky Market may seem small in comparison to societal issues at large, it still represents progress in the right direction nonetheless. I say a small victory is better than no victory at all.