Holon’s Iconic Kugel Roundabout Replaced by Signalized Intersection Amid Light Rail Construction
After nearly 70 years, Holon's famous Kugel Roundabout, also known as the 'Square of Tears,' is being transformed into a signalized intersection. The three-lane roundabout, notorious for challenging generations of driving test candidates, will cease operation on August 12, 2024. The roundabout, officially named Fighters' Square in memory of fallen IDF soldiers and local underground fighters, was a key landmark at the city’s entrance and a well-known site for driving tests due to its complex traffic flow.
The roundabout's nickname, 'Square of Tears,' stems from either the stress it caused learner drivers or from water marks on the road resembling tears, as recounted by veteran driving instructor Dudu Benish. Thousands of vehicles passed through daily, making it one of Israel's largest roundabouts by lane count and a significant traffic bottleneck. Attempts to install traffic lights previously failed due to worsening congestion.
The transition away from the roundabout began in May 2022 with the dismantling of the original traffic circle to make way for the Green Line light rail infrastructure. A 400-meter-long underpass, the Fighters' Underpass, opened in May 2025, allowing vehicles to bypass the surface level where the light rail will run. From August 11 to 13, 2024, additional construction and temporary traffic arrangements will be implemented to complete the conversion.
The new intersection will feature traffic lights, and the Green Line light rail will run above it, connecting Levi Eshkol Boulevard and Kugel Boulevard. The project also includes public transport lanes and bike paths, part of a broader overhaul of northern Holon's transportation network. Residents expressed nostalgia on social media, recalling their driving tests and early drives through the roundabout, with some lamenting the absence of a formal farewell ceremony to honor its history.
While the roundabout disappears from the cityscape, it remains a vivid part of Holon's collective memory as the place where many learned to navigate traffic and pass their driving exams.
