Minister of Finance and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Transportation Miri Regev, and Binyamin Region Governor and Yesha Council Chairman Yisrael Ganz inaugurated the beginning of work to pave the new Route 45.
Route 45 is one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the Jerusalem and Binyamin areas in recent decades and is projected to change the transportation situation in the area. According to the plan, the new road will connect the eastern Binyamin Region with Route 443, cutting travel time between Sha'ar Binyamin and central Israel by approximately 15 minutes.
The route, which starts at Sha'ar Binyamin and leads to Route 443, includes four bridges and an underpass near Qalandiya and is a complex, advanced engineering project intended to enable constant, secure, and efficient traffic flow. The scope of investment in the project is estimated at approximately 400 million shekels, as part of large-scale investments in transportation infrastructure that bolster Jewish presence in the area and connect it to the national transportation network.
Minister Miri Regev said: “We are launching the Highway 45 project, a strategic initiative that will connect the Binyamin communities to the national transportation network and provide residents with safe, fast, and continuous accessibility. The development of advanced transportation infrastructure in the area is a top national priority, and we are acting decisively to allocate the necessary resources to strengthen the communities, shorten travel times, and improve quality of life. Highway 45 is a direct expression of the policy I am leading to connect Jerusalem, Binyamin, and the center of the country through a modern, advanced, and continuous transportation network."
Minister Bezalel Smotrich emphasized: “The construction of Highway 45 is not only an important transportation project, but also a first-rate settlement, strategic, and Zionist development. The direct connection of eastern Binyamin to central Israel changes the reality on the ground and applies de facto sovereignty. The massive development we are leading here, together with my partner, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Binyamin Regional Council head Yisrael Gantz, deepens our hold on our ancestral homeland and, in practice, constitutes a targeted blow to the idea of a Palestinian state. We will continue to invest, build, and strengthen the communities in Judea and Samaria for the sake of Israel’s security and future."
Yisrael Ganz stressed: “We continue to make history and take care of the residents of Judea and Samaria and the State of Israel as a whole. The launch of Highway 45, another central access road to the capital, is a strategic move that changes the face of the region and will significantly upgrade residents’ lives. This is a decisive response to anyone trying to establish a terror state here; we are strengthening security and creating continuity between Binyamin and central Israel. Many thanks to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who are leading a major transformation on the ground with us. Together, we are making Binyamin and Judea and Samaria an inseparable part of our land."