A project to expand Route 31 from a two-lane highway to a freeway with two lanes in each direction from the Shocket Junction, north of Be'er Sheva' to Route 90 near the Dead Sea reached the city of Arad this morning.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at the dedication ceremony, "This is the double vision of the transportation revolution and the vision of the Negev blooming, and this is what we are doing here today. This vision will come here as well. It is already on its way here, today, with this breakthrough. Arad will not remain on the side of the road and there will be no broken trough [play on the name Shocket -ed.]- everyone will benefit from this revolution."