Major infrastructure work by Israel Railways is expected to disrupt traffic on two key highways in central Israel this weekend, with lane reductions and traffic diversions planned along the Ayalon Highway and Route 531, ynet has learned.
The work, scheduled from Friday evening through Saturday, will affect motorists traveling through the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and the Sharon region to its north. Although neither highway will be completely closed, the temporary traffic arrangements could cause significant congestion.
Congestion on Ayalon Highway
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
Israel Railways has not issued a special public announcement about the disruptions as the work does not involve full highway closures. However, authorities responsible for the affected roads have been formally notified, and the changes have been incorporated into the Waze navigation app.
The construction is part of a nationwide project to extend railway station platforms, allowing them to accommodate newer, longer trains and increase passenger capacity as demand for rail travel grows.
Under the approved traffic arrangements, crews will carry out the work by reducing the number of available lanes and diverting vehicles around construction zones rather than shutting down entire highways.
Where and when traffic will be affected
On the Ayalon Highway, also known as Highway 20, work will begin Friday at 8 p.m. and continue until Saturday at 8 a.m.
The highway is one of Israel's busiest transportation arteries, running through the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and connecting major cities and employment centers along the country's central coastal plain.
Northbound traffic will be affected along two stretches: between the Shiv'at HaKochavim interchange and the HaMa'apilim area, and between the HaHalakha and KKL interchanges.
Southbound motorists will face changes along three stretches: between Shiv'at HaKochavim and HaMa'apilim, between HaHalakha and KKL, and between the Mevo Ayalon and Komemiyut interchanges.
Work on Route 531, a major east-west highway serving communities in the Sharon region north of Tel Aviv, will last longer. It is scheduled to begin Friday at 8 p.m. and continue until Saturday at 4 p.m.
Traffic arrangements will affect both eastbound and westbound lanes along the section between the Kfar Saba and Hod Hasharon railway stations.
Drivers traveling through either area are advised to allow additional time and consult navigation apps for updated routes.
Years of construction strain central Israel's roads
The latest disruptions come amid persistent traffic congestion across central Israel, where motorists have faced frequent delays over the past year as several of the country's largest transportation infrastructure projects advance simultaneously.
Among them is the construction of a fourth railway track along the Ayalon corridor, a major project intended to increase rail capacity through the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, where the existing tracks form a critical bottleneck in the national railway network.
Israel Railways is also carrying out an extensive electrification program to replace diesel-powered rail services with electric trains, while separate projects are expanding the Tel Aviv light rail network and preparing infrastructure for the planned metropolitan subway system.
Together, the projects have brought construction crews to major transportation arteries on an almost nightly basis, requiring recurring lane restrictions and temporary changes to traffic patterns.
Although much of the work is scheduled overnight to minimize disruption, construction frequently extends into periods of lighter daytime traffic and the early morning hours, creating bottlenecks and heavy congestion even when roads would ordinarily be relatively clear.
The overlapping projects have compounded the challenges facing drivers in the densely populated Tel Aviv metropolitan area, where major highways already carry substantial commuter traffic.
With another round of construction scheduled this weekend, motorists are being urged to prepare for possible delays, exercise patience and use navigation apps to check traffic conditions before setting out.