Data provided to "Globes" by Google's satellite navigation app Waze shows that traffic is now heavier on Israel's roads than before the start of the Covid pandemic in February 2020. According to Waze, last Thursday, the number of journeys made by Waze users was 16% higher than two years ago. Only a week before, with the effects of the Omicron variant being felt in Israel, the number of journeys was only 6% higher than two years ago.
In recent weeks, the amount of traffic on Israel's roads has provided an accurate indication of the Covid infection rate. But with morbidity waning sharply, the Netivei Israel National Transport Infrastructure Company's national traffic management center reported that traffic was up 28-30% last week compared with the previous week.
The peak of infection of the Omicron variant was in the second half of January with large numbers of people infected or in isolation. On January 23, according to Waze, traffic in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was down by 10% compared with a normal day. By February 10, traffic was down by only 4% in Tel Aviv but 2% above average in Jerusalem, Waze reports. On February 17, traffic was 12% higher than usual in Jerusalem, 4% higher than usual in Tel Aviv and a whopping 33% higher than usual in Beersheva.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 22, 2022.
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