As part of the project to expand the central section of Highway 6, carried out by the Transportation Ministry through the Cross-Israel Highway Company, another change regarding traffic congestion on the main highway will take effect starting April 1st, 2025. This change is a necessary one, where the travel toll on the highway will be reduced by 50% for heavy vehicles (weighing over 4 tons) between the hours of 03:00 and 05:30 in the early morning.
The Transportation Ministry said that in order to receive the discount, the vehicle must pass through the first toll gate when entering the highway during the specified hours. The incentive is designed to encourage freight companies and drivers of vehicles over 4 tons to travel during times when the highway is relatively empty, thus reducing traffic congestion on Highway 6 during peak hours.
The project includes adding a travel lane in each direction between the Kesem Interchange and the Ein Tut Interchange, covering a total length of 60 kilometers. As part of the work, a new interchange, the Beit Nehemiah Interchange, will be constructed, the road lighting will be upgraded, the drainage system will be organized, and landscape restoration will be carried out. The cost of the project is estimated at about 4 billion shekels. The project is being carried out under a BOT model, and the work is expected to be completed by 2028.
The Transportation Minister and Road Safety, Brigadier General (res.) Miri Regev, said: "Highway 6 is one of the most important transportation arteries in Israel, a central and vital route connecting the center with the northern and southern periphery. Its expansion will prevent traffic congestion, which prevents the highway from operating optimally, and will allow drivers to travel on all sections of the highway quickly and continuously. Our studies show that heavy vehicles are one of the factors causing traffic congestion on the highway during peak hours, and we have advanced the reduction in tolls to encourage the diversion of some of the traffic volume to hours when demand is lower."
The Director General of the Transportation Ministry and Road Safety, Moshe Ben-Zaken, said: "After Transportation Minister Miri Regev launched the project to expand Highway 6, which she promoted, we are adding a significant incentive to divert some of the traffic volume to less crowded hours. We will continue to work to accelerate the execution of this major project, with the goal of completing it successfully within three years."
The Chief Accountant at the Finance Ministry, Yahli Rotenberg, also commented: "The agreement signed to expand Highway 6 is expected to alleviate future traffic congestion on the highway. In addition to the extra lane, it is important to initiate actions on the demand side, both by encouraging high-occupancy vehicle travel and by managing heavy vehicle trips to reduce congestion in the mornings, alongside efforts to remove trucks and cargo from the highway and transport them by train."
The CEO of Cross-Israel Highway Company, Danny Shenbach, said: "The major project to expand Highway 6, which is currently under construction, is a real breakthrough for the residents of Israel. The reduction in tolls for heavy vehicles in the early morning hours is a complementary step to the highway expansion, aiming to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on the highway during peak hours. The project will provide an answer to the high demand along the central transportation artery and shorten travel times."