Nazareth’s Mary’s Well Intersection – Israel

Keywords: Perceived safety, pedestrian experience, historic district mobility

Unsignalized intersection located on one of Nazareth’s main urban arteries, at the northern end of the “Crusaders’ Walk” route connecting several key historic sites.
The piazza hosts Mary’s Well, a major tourist attraction frequently visited by international groups; nearby are local schools, hotels, and the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, generating diverse and vulnerable pedestrian flows.
Over 1,600 buses pass through the intersection daily, making it an important public transport node.
Infrastructure is in poor condition: rutted asphalt, faded street markings, barely legible signage, and obstructed sidewalks that force pedestrians to squeeze through or walk on the road.
No designated loading/unloading zone for deliveries or tourist buses, leading trucks and coaches to stop in the roadway and disrupt traffic.

The intersection is in a historic area, where space is limited and invasive interventions are discouraged.
The location is essential for daily vehicular circulation, making any reorganization sensitive for traffic operations. Lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure: no crosswalk connecting the bus stop to the piazza, existing crossings lack refuge islands, obstructed sidewalks create conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles.
High perceived safety risk discourages walking and reduces the attractiveness of this key urban destination.

Improve the comfort and perceived safety of pedestrians moving through or visiting the area.

Enhance infrastructure quality and reorganize traffic to reduce conflicts between pedestrians and motorized vehicles.

Implement targeted interventions based on AMIGOS insights (MOB data, co-creation workshops), including:

Ultimately, make the area more pleasant, accessible, and walkable, encouraging increased pedestrian activity.