PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE FIRST TRAMWAY SYSTEM IN THE WEST BANK, NABLUS CITY

Abstract

The public transportation systems in the Palestinian cities face numerous challenges and limitations. This paper aims to address some of these issues by introducing a new mode of public transportation which is the tram. To conduct this study, relevant data were collected to determine the current demand for public transportation in Nablus. Subsequently, a questionnaire was distributed to assess whether travelers' preferences for public transportation would change with the introduction of a new and efficient system. The results indicated that 30% of travelers who currently use private vehicles would switch to the tram. The study analyzed the current state of Nablus's public transportation system, highlighting the need for improvement. Mass transportation options were examined, and the tram was identified to be one of the most suitable solutions. The study presents the general standards for designing the tramway, along with the basic routes and a plan for the horizontal alignment to serve the majority of demand in Nablus. The tramway system was designed and scheduled to integrate with existing public transportation modes. Basic plans for project development and implementation were included. The assessment of the tramway system's efficiency shows that the Level of Service (LOS) at key locations of the network would be improved. Finally, the total project cost is estimated to be approximately 82 million dollars for the overall length of the tramway routes of about 11.4 km.