JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In less than three decades, Modiin Illit has outstripped all of the other towns in Judea and Samaria, including Beitar Illit, Maale Adumim and Ariel and is now the largest town in the region. The current population stands at over 80,000 and is slated to pass 100,000 within the next few years.
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Despite this, the town suffers from significant connectivity problems due to the fact that there is just one access road to the town- which for most of the way has just one lane in each direction, leading to serious congestion issues during rush hours and time wasted on the roads for those who commute from the town on a daily basis.
Deputy Transportation Minister Uri Maklev announced at a special Knesset session initiated by MK Avraham Betzalel that the Higher Planning Committee is refusing to authorize another access road to Modiin Illit. Maklev stressed that there is no budgetary issue in paving such a road and it is being delayed simply due to opposition of the green-friendly elements in the committee. He attacked the committee’s objectors and said that with over 80,000 people dependent on the access roads, everyone needs to compromise and find a way of creating another road.
Maklev added that he had spoken with Environment Minister Idit Silman and she did not object to paving another road to the town.
“We see the suffering of local residents and those who try to access the town,” Maklev said, adding that “I am discussing the matter with mayor Yaakov Gutterman. We have made trips with professionals to explain the problem.”
Currently the ministry is widening the existing road, but Maklev says that this will take until 2026 although “the ministry is acting to expedite the completion of the road via various incentives.”
He concluded that “this is an unprecedented situation that for over a decade the planning committees have not authorized a new road. Our goal in this tenure is to authorize a road and remove opposition of other ministries to the new artery.”
My cousin lives in Kiryat Sefer. Literally an entire community that sits and learns. An amazing place.
Another proof of the amazing intelligence of the greens.
The pollution caused by sitting in traffic for long periods due to having only one access road, of course doesn’t count.
The govt needs more control where elected leaders make decisions vs beaurocrates. This is what makes the judicial reforms so crucial. Yes this isn’t that but yet it’s another smack to democracy when some lib nonsense can highjack communities. This commissioner needs to be chopped
There is another road. They just don’t give them permission to use it.
Sure. Pave over every available piece of land until the entire country is just one large piece of pavement.