Nvidia in Kiryat Tivon: economic development or damage to the quality of life

A resident of one of the neighborhoods adjacent to the planned complex describes a feeling that, according to her, is shared by many residents: “There are mixed feelings here. On the one hand, it is clear that Tivon needs an employment area. On the other hand, a project of the magnitude of Nvidia will certainly change the rural image of Tivon. This will lead to traffic congestion that the existing transportation routes will not be able to handle. Even if they add an interchange or widen a road, in practice it will only become the green lung of Tivon to a cluster of roads and interchanges.”

According to her, the impact is already felt on the ground. “Since the settlement of the Tzel Oranim neighborhood, there have been heavy congestions at the exit from Elroi. On a good day, this is an extra fifteen minutes, and on less good days, you can be stuck for 45 minutes until the Yagur junction. The quality of life has already been damaged, and in my estimation, the additional congestion will only make the situation worse. It’s not just the exit from Elroi – the entire valley junction will be busy in the morning and afternoon.”

The fear intensifies in view of the expected employment volumes. “Now imagine about 10,000 more workers entering this small intersection in a short period of time, from the direction of Haifa, the Kiryat and Yokneam,” she says. “Even the Tzel Oranim neighborhood itself brought with it an urban character, very different from the countryside and the connection to nature that characterize Tivon. Now even the green lung that was left at the exit from Elroi is being removed in favor of the campus.”

“This is a change on a completely different scale – it will be impossible to turn it back”

A resident of the Kiryat Haroshet neighborhood adds: “I didn’t move here to live near campuses, commercial centers and traffic jams. I moved here because it was a green, open place, with a sense of space and breathing. Decisions are made from above, without understanding how it affects everyday life. It’s not anti-high-tech – it’s for quality of life.”

According to him, the consequences are not limited to employment and transportation. “I’m afraid that the next step will be the establishment of an urban center with high-rise construction, perhaps instead of the tank farm, right next to my house.”

When asked if he is not interested in vacating the tank farm, he clarifies: “I want evacuation, and I’m not against development. I just don’t want it to be near my house. I moved here for a detached house, a yard, quiet. I like high-tech – just not near the house.”

“The number of references has jumped 300% since the announcement”

According to him, Tivon has always suffered from a lack of supply. “Even before Nvidia, we saw increases of 5%-7% per year. There will be another increase, but not rampant. There are still projects in marketing – but not for long.”

This is how the Nvidia campus became an identity test point for Kiryat Tivon: between development, employment and economic growth – and the desire to maintain rurality, green spaces and quality of life.