Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz has announced that the Tunnel Highway between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion will be doubled to two lanes in each direction plus a public transportation route.
He was responding to a question by Member of Knesset Yaakov Asher (United Torah Judaism), who noted that the road was originally supposed to have two lanes in each direction. Netivei Israel, which is responsible for the transportation infrastructure, said the additional lanes did not have ministry approval. Katz replied that after an examination and preliminary planning, it was decided to advance the detailed planning of doubling the lanes, after which the project will be budgeted.