The Arc

Responsible Party and Year Completed: RAND, 2005

Link: https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG327-2.html

Status: Completed

Contact: Ross Anthony – [email protected]; Shelly Culbertson – [email protected]

Website

Executive Summary:

This Arc study explores the creation of infrastructure for a new Palestinian state, building on previous RAND analyses. It examines a new Palestinian state’s political, economic, social, resource, and environmental challenges, particularly with a rapidly growing population and potential refugee influx.

The study proposes the ‘Arc’, an innovative transportation system, as a central structure to address these challenges. This system would connect major cities and towns, providing a backbone for transportation, water, telecommunications, and energy infrastructure while preserving natural landscapes and promoting national cohesion.

A key aspect of the design was to have stations on the Arc located outside of major cities and connected to them by bus-rapid transit boulevards on which to accommodate population growth.

Short term priorities:

  • Address the immediate housing needs due to high fertility rates and population growth. This includes constructing new housing units to accommodate the growing population and potential refugees.
  • Begin the development of basic infrastructure like water, electricity, and sewerage systems, which are currently inadequate to meet the population’s needs.
  • Create job opportunities for the burgeoning workforce, especially young people, in the face of limited employment prospects.

Short term priorities:

  • Address the immediate housing needs due to high fertility rates and population growth. This includes constructing new housing units to accommodate the growing population and potential refugees.
  • Begin the development of basic infrastructure like water, electricity, and sewerage systems, which are currently inadequate to meet the population’s needs.
  • Create job opportunities for the burgeoning workforce, especially young people, in the face of limited employment prospects.

Long term priorities:

  • Focus on constructing high-density residential areas to support the projected population increase, including refugees.
  • Develop a long-term infrastructure strategy that includes transportation and utilities like water and electricity, telecommunications, and solid waste disposal.
  • Address the need for economic diversification to create sustainable employment opportunities and mitigate the reliance on external job markets.
  • Manage population growth to avoid urban sprawl while incorporating space for parks and the natural habitat.

Immediate Priorities / Proposed Next Steps:

  • Start the phased implementation of the Arc, the proposed transportation corridor that includes mass transit systems, national aqueducts, and energy lines.
  • Tackle challenges related to the carrying capacity, including water consumption, land use for agriculture, and environmental sustainability.
  • Leverage the construction of the Arc and other infrastructure projects to provide immediate employment opportunities.