The 13-kilometer toll road is considered a pilot program designed to reduce traffic at the entrance to the city
Long-awaited express lane to Tel Aviv opened January 7th. The 13-kilometer toll road, to be used by registered subscribers and public transportation only, runs parallel to Route 1 from Ben-Gurion Airport to the Ayalon Freeway at the Kibbutz Galuyot interchange.
It is considered a pilot program designed to reduce traffic at the entrance to the city by encouraging use of public transportation and by offering drivers the option of paying a toll to use a fast lane. Drivers traveling along the fast lane are the first consumers in the world of an innovative dynamic toll system whose rates vary with traffic congestion.
Buses and cars carrying more than four passengers will be exempt from the toll; other vehicles will be allowed to sign up to use the road and will be charged a varying rate depending on how heavy the traffic is. The fee will be between NIS 6 and NIS 75; drivers will pay less the emptier the road is. During rush hour, the fee is expected to be between NIS 17 and NIS 20.
While the road is intended for subscribers and public transportation, private cars with at least four passengers will be able to use it for free during the day. During times when traffic is less congested, cars with three passengers will also be allowed to use the fast lane for free. Motorcycles will benefit from a half-price toll fee.
The operator of the fast lane, Shapir Engineering, invested more than NIS 500 million in return for a 30-year lease on the lane.
The system was developed by Siemens AG the technology .The system cost NIS 120 million, including the set-up cost and the financing and maintenance cost during the franchise period.
