The Ayalon Expressway recently opened the southern section
with interchanges rather than traffic lights. The completion
of the project, along with the previous completion of the
northern part of the expressway, allows rapid through travel
along the north-south length of the Tel Aviv metropolis.
Numerous officials were on hand at the opening ceremony.
The expressway opened to traffic one year before the planned
date. Ayalon Expressway Director Aryeh Bar said the new road
will save the Israeli economy tens of millions of shekels.
The project included overpasses along the length of the
Ayalon South and the conversion of Highway 20 between Sderot
Rabin in Herzliya and Cholot Junction in Rishon Letzion into
a toll-free expressway.
Construction began in 2000 and cost NIS 500 million ($115
million). The work included improvements for Israel Railway
as well: moving parts of the Ayalon to clear space for
railroad tracks, building 24 km of support walls separating
the railroad strip from the roadway, building 18 km of
acoustic walls and building 20,000 square meters of bridges.
The total cost of the project: NIS 1.2 billion ($280
million).
In light of the sensitive nature of the project from social
and environmental standpoints, special emphasis was placed on
minimizing its impact on the surrounding areas. Several
junctions were planned as indented junctions where the
expressway dips beneath ground level and is isolated by
support walls and acoustic walls carefully designed to be
unobtrusive, blending in with the vegetation and landscaping.
In addition numerous upper-floor apartments alongside the
expressway will be soundproofed.
At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared
that he is working toward a revolution in transportation that
will connect the Negev with the Central Region. The
Transportation Minister said shortening commuting time would
make it possible to work in metropolitan areas and live in
distant suburbs.
