The inter-ministerial tender committee for the Highway 5 expressway project, with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, the Ayalon Highways Company, and the government company Inbal, announced today (Tuesday) the selection of Electra Ltd. as the winner of the tender for financing, planning, construction, and operation of the project.
The selection was made at the end of a competitive bidding process in which five groups consisting of leading Israeli and international companies participated. Electra Group Ltd. will establish a dedicated company for the project.
As part of the project, a two-way expressway with a cumulative length of 25 km will be constructed along Highway 5, in the section between the Kesem Interchange and Glilot Mizrahi, as well as an integrated transportation complex at the Kesem Interchange, which includes approximately 3,200 parking spaces.
The complex will allow drivers to leave their private vehicles outside the Gush Dan metropolitan area and continue their journey using a dedicated, free shuttle system to central employment centers in the metropolitan area.
In addition, the expressway will be linked to the nearby Rosh HaAyin North train station, allowing for direct and convenient passage between them. The project is expected to be operational in 2031.
The project constitutes a central pillar in the set of solutions for dealing with traffic congestion at the entrances to the Dan Bloc metropolitan area, and is intended to encourage a shift from using private vehicles to public transportation and the mass transit system, while shortening travel times and reducing traffic congestion.
The project will connect to the expressway system on Highways 20 and 2, and together a continuous network of expressways will be created that will improve accessibility to the metropolis and help reduce congestion on the entrance routes to it.
The tender was managed using the PPP (Public Private Partnership) method by the inter-ministerial tender committee for the expressways project, headed by Ms. Oshrat David Decker, Senior Deputy Accountant General, and with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, the Ministry of Finance, the Ayalon Highways Company, and the government company Inbal.
Minister of Transportation Miri Regev: "This is another significant step in the transportation revolution in the Dan Bloc. The expressway on Highway 5, together with the huge transportation complex at the Kesem Interchange, will allow thousands of drivers to leave their private vehicles outside the metropolis and continue quickly, comfortably and for free to the employment centers in the Dan Bloc. This is precisely the principle of transportation justice, to provide citizens with a real, efficient and high-quality alternative to the private vehicle, while shortening travel times and reducing congestion. The project connects to the expressways on Highways 2 and 20 and creates a continuous transportation network, which will change the way people enter and exit the Dan Bloc. The Ministry of Transportation continues to connect Israel, by roads, trains and public transportation, and to build infrastructure that will suit the needs of a growing country in the coming decades.".
Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich: "The completion of the tender and the launch of the Highway 5 expressway project are further proof of the strength of the Israeli economy and the importance of investing in change-making growth engines. Collaboration with the private sector in the PPP model has proven itself time and time again as an effective mechanism for establishing national infrastructure at the highest level. This project will save millions of working hours for the economy, reduce traffic congestion, and provide maximum accessibility between parts of the country and the employment centers in the center. We will continue to lead large-scale investments in the transportation infrastructure and economic engines of the State of Israel."
Accountant General, CPA Michal Abadi-Boyanjo: "The selection of the winner of the Highway 5 expressway project is a significant milestone in expanding investment in transportation infrastructure in Israel. The tender competition, with the participation of five leading Israeli and international groups, allows the state to advance a complex project worth billions of shekels while combining the capabilities, experience and financing of the private sector. The PPP model allows for a comprehensive view of the project, from the planning and construction stages to long-term operation, and creates a commitment to quality, efficiency and service levels over the years.""
Ministry of Transportation Director General Moshe Ben-Zaken: "The completion of the tender for the express lanes project on Highway 5 is a significant milestone in realizing Israel's metropolitan transportation vision. This is a complex and investment-intensive project that will connect road infrastructure, public transportation, and rail, and provide passengers with a real alternative to the private car. The transportation complex at the Kesem Interchange, with approximately 3,200 parking spaces and free shuttles to employment centers, alongside the connection to Rosh HaAyin North Station and the express lane network on Highways 2 and 20, will enable simple and efficient transition between the various means of transportation. The Ministry of Transportation will continue to promote large-scale projects aimed at shortening travel times, reducing congestion, and improving the quality of service and transportation accessibility for Israeli residents.".
CEO of Netivei Ayalon, Orly Stern: "I am proud to lead the express lanes project on Highway 5. This is another significant step in the transportation revolution we are promoting. The project is designed to expand the variety of options for getting to the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and provide the public with an available, efficient and reliable transportation alternative, while giving priority to public transportation and shared travel.
""We continue to work to create a metropolitan transportation network that will allow more people to reach employment centers in the Dan Bloc quickly.".
