The Jerusalem District Planning Commission on Tuesday approved the expansion of Road 1 at the entrance to Jerusalem. The plan will entail widening the road and adding a lane in each direction between the Road 9 exit and the Ginot Sakharov turnoff, up to the String Bridge.
Currently, there are only two traffic lanes at the entrance to the city, and traffic chokes up at the Ginot Sakharov exit at almost every time of day or night. The plan will entail expansion of the roadway and the addition of the lanes. In addition, a proper sidewalk will be added to the side of the road between Ginot Sakharov and the String Bridge. Plants and flowers will be placed at the side of the road, as well.
Residents of the area have been dreading an expansion of the road, which will entail a great deal of drilling, since solid rock needs to be removed, and the operation promises to be very noisy and dirty. Last week, residents of the neighborhoods next to the road held a protest and blocked Road 1 when word of the planned approval got out.
The project is expected to cost NIS 2.5 billion. The money has already been allocated in the state budget.