Israel Braces for Weekend Traffic Disruptions Due to Rail Work and Protests
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
Drivers in central Israel face major traffic disruptions this weekend due to Israel Railways work on Highways 20 and 531 and police closures in Tel Aviv for a rally. Rail work on Highway 20 runs from Friday 8 PM to Saturday 8 AM, and on Highway 531 from Friday 8 PM to Saturday 4 PM. Tel Aviv will see significant street closures Saturday from 5 PM for a rally at Hostages Square. Train services will also be altered, with some stations closed and lines split, though alternative transport will be available.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel Railways work will cause traffic disruptions on Highways 20 and 531 from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon.
- Tel Aviv police will close central streets Saturday evening for a rally at Hostages Square.
- Drivers are advised to use navigation apps due to expected bottlenecks and diversions.
- Several train stations will close and some lines will be split, with shuttle services offered.
- Weekend train schedules will shift to winter hours starting Sunday, October 25th.
Drivers in central Israel should prepare for significant traffic disruptions between Friday evening and Saturday night due to separate events. Israel Railways will conduct 12-hour work sessions on Highway 20 (Ayalon) and Highway 531, while police will implement road closures in Tel Aviv for a rally at Hostages Square.
From Friday at 8:00 PM to Saturday at 8:00 AM, sections of Highway 20 will have lane closures and traffic diversions. These changes will affect northbound lanes between Seven Stars and HaMa'apilim interchanges, and Ha'Elah and KKL interchanges. Southbound lanes will experience similar disruptions, plus closures between Mevo Ayalon and Komemiyut interchange, creating potential bottlenecks for those traveling south from Tel Aviv.
Highway 531 will see longer work windows, from Friday at 8:00 PM until Saturday at 4:00 PM in both directions between Kfar Saba and Hod HaSharon train stations. These works, carried out by Israel Railways' development division, aim to extend platforms to accommodate longer trains and increase passenger capacity. Drivers are advised to use navigation apps like Waze for real-time updates, as the highways will remain open.
On Saturday evening, starting at 5:00 PM, police will close numerous streets in central Tel Aviv for a procession and rally from Rabin Square to Hostages Square. Major routes like Ibn Gabirol, Shaul Hamelech, and surrounding streets will be affected. Police will use trucks and barriers for security amid the tense period, with additional traffic changes expected due to ongoing metro and light rail construction.
Rail service will also be impacted. From Friday at 12:30 AM, Ashdod-Ad Halom-Metropolitan and Yavne East stations will close. The Beersheba-Herzliya line will split into two segments: Beersheba-Ashkelon and Yavne West-Herzliya. The Ashkelon-Binyamina line will terminate in Rehovot. Alternative free shuttle services will be provided. Regular train service is expected to resume Saturday evening, with weekend schedules shifting to winter hours starting Sunday, October 25th.
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