"Midrakovner" – School Street

Abba Kovner Street in the northern part of the city serves as the main access route to several elementary schools and kindergartens. Over time, it became a hazardous traffic hotspot, with vehicles dropping off children, parking briefly, turning around, and exiting. This led to constant congestion during morning and afternoon hours, while children and toddlers navigated dangerously close to cars maneuvering back and forth near the school entrances.

As part of the municipality’s strategy to promote pedestrian-friendly streets and encourage walkability, the 'Midrekovner' School-Street pilot was launched to address safety needs for educational facility users and create opportunities for leisure and activity during school hours and free time. Initiated in early 2023 in collaboration with various municipal departments, including the "100 Points" team, the project was designed as a one-year trial.

The intervention design was based on findings from a public engagement process and preliminary research conducted to support the pilot:

• The public engagement process led by the Community Administration, included a survey and a residents’ meeting that identified diverse needs. Residents requested the addition of a community library, nearby senior citizens expressed concerns about noise from late-night gatherings of teenagers, and educational staff suggested installing an outdoor classroom in the space.
• The measurement and observational framework to complete the mapping of opportunities and challenges, included quantitative data collection (e.g. visitor numbers), qualitative documentation (activities occurring at the entrances to the educational institutions), and a general mapping of the street and the adjacent park.
• Transforming the street into a pedestrian zone: The Transportation Authority devised an efficient solution to close the street to vehicles by repurposing a nearby parking lot owned by a private developer into a “drop-off square” at the street entrance. This square provides short-term parking and is within walking distance of the educational facilities.
• Tactical intervention in the pedestrian zone: Designed by the “100 Points” team, the intervention included the installation of seating and rest areas, vibrant and inviting street painting (covering the road, stepping stones, and fences), the addition of a bike lane for schoolchildren, an outdoor classroom, and designated play areas for kindergarten and school children. The design carefully considered appropriate distances from residential buildings to maintain a quiet environment for residents.

The pedestrian zone was inaugurated in a festive event for the entire neighborhood in July 2023.

Partnering municipal units:

The Community, Culture, and Sports Administration, Northern Division; the City Architect; the Education Administration; the Transportation and Parking Authority; the City Beautification Department; the Property Department.