On the 20th of April 2016, the Mayor of Jerusalem Municipality, Nir Barakat, and the Israeli minister of Transportation, Yisrael Katz- and Doron Noioirt, the CEO of Moriah Development company in Israel inaugurated the opening of the third section (Phase three) of the largest transportation project ever implemented in occupied East Jerusalem – the Israeli Bypass road No. 50 – (Known as Begin Road).
Plans provided for the road show that the new Israeli Bypass road enables travelling from north to south in both directions and is claimed to reduce traffic congestion and increasing accessibility to southern Jerusalem settlements and centers[1]. The new section – phase three- is 1.4 kilometers long and includes six lanes (three in each direction). The cost of the third phase of the road is about NIS 400 million and has been undergoing work for more than three years; while the overall project includes a six-lane bypass road, four interchanges, ten bridges and two tunnels with a total cost of NIS 1.25 billion.
Work is underway to connect the southern and final section of the road – Israeli Bypass road 50 – with the Israeli bypass road 60 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
Note that the first phase of the bypass road No. was inaugurated in December 2014 and connected Al Malha train station with Golomb Junction in West Jerusalem. This is a 1.4 kilometer-long section which includes a six-lane road (three on each side), four bridges, a new interchange (interchange Golomb), and a 130 meters long tunnel.
The second section of the Israeli Bypass road No. 50 was opened to traffic in March 2015. It is a 2.3 km long road section and includes a six-lane road (three on each side), two interchanges (Benvenisti and Dov Yosef) and three bridges.
The newly inaugurated section (Phase Three) penetrates through the lands of Sharafat and Beit Safafa and has negatively affected the geoghraphy of the two communities in favor of easing transportation for southern Jerusalem settlements. See Map 1
Map 1: Phase three of the Israeli Bypass Road No. 50 on lands of Beit Safafa and Sharafat
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) has been following the construction of the Israeli Bypass road No. 50 since 2013 on lands of Beit Safafa and Sharafat in occupied east Jerusalem. For more information , click here: "At a cost of USD 1.1 Billion", Israel takes over 234 Dunums of Lands of Beit Safafa and Sharafat to construct the Israeli bypass road No. 50
Earlier in February 2016, the Municipality of Jerusalem and in cooperation with the Israeli transportation ministry commenced the construction of a new bypass road section and a road interchange that will link the Israeli so-called “Begin Road – Israeli bypass road No. 50” with the Israeli bypass road No. 60 (the section locally known to the Palestinians as the Bethlehem-Jerusalem road).
The road interchange will be made via a new tunnel road that will go under the ground, from the southern end point of the under-construction “Begin road – Bypass Road number 50” near Gilo Settlement. The plan holds No. (TPS 258270) and intends to act as an entrance gate to southern Jerusalem settlements. for more information, click here: Israel to boost transportation contiguity between Israeli Settlements south of Jerusalem
[1] Jerusalem City Sports center which Jerusalem which includes the Hall Lottery Arena Jerusalem, Teddy Stadium and the Tennis Center, the Jerusalem Mall (Malcha) and to the Israeli bypass road No. 60 and back.
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
