Politicians and top officials have an uncontrollable urge to eliminate traffic lights. The traffic lights now targeted for elimination are at Golani Junction, at the intersection of Road 65 between Afula and Rosh Pina and Road 77 between Yokne'am and Tiberias in the Galilee, which Minister of Transport Israel Katz considers to be an important step in the "eastern arm route between Amiad Junction and Tishbi Junction, and later to Road 6 (the Yitzhak Rabin Highway toll road)."
Katz ordered the construction of the Golani Interchange as part of the Netivei Israel Plan, which was allocated NIS 1 billion. The NIS 350 million interchange is due to be inaugurated in 2013.
Israel National Roads Company Ltd. chairman Micha Goldman is a resident of Kfar Tavor on Road 65. He said that the interchange is the first of a plan to "to create a transport continuum of no traffic lights between central Israel and the north."
Ministry of Finance and Roads Company officials are dubious about the cost/benefit ratio of the Golani Interchange, as traffic volume studies of the intersection show no serious pressure on the traffic lights. The traffic lights cycle is two minutes and traffic flows. The wait for the left turn from Road 77 north to Road 65 is 45-75 seconds, and averages one minute.
The bidders' envelopes for the project will be opened in late June. Ministry of Finance and Roads Company officials consider the project to be politically motivated, that it is ten years sooner than necessary, and that it comes at the expense of more urgent projects, which will now be delayed.
The NIS 350 million allocated for the Golani Interchange could be used to complete the Morasha Interchange between Road 4 and Road 5 outside Tel Aviv, build the interchange at Bnei Dror Junction on Road 4 and the road to Netanya, build an interchange at Lahavim Junction to alleviate traffic to Beersheva, build an interchange at Reem (Masmiya) Junction on Road 40 between Rehovot and Ashkelon and Road 3 to Jerusalem, or build an interchange at Kiryat Malakhi (Kastina) Junction on Road 40 and Road 3 and the road to Beersheva.
The Ministry of Transport said, "Construction of the Golani Interchange is part of the Netivei Israel project to link northern and southern Israel to the center of the country and tighten ties between the periphery and the center with a network of railways and highways."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 4, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011