Highway 2 (Israel)
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| [[Image:{{{map}}}|250px]] | |
| Highway 2 | |
| Hebrew name |
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| Name meaning | |
| Length | 77 km |
| Direction | North - South |
| Classification | Expressway |
| Start | Tel Aviv (West Glilot Interchange) |
| Primary destinations | |
| End | Haifa (Haifa Darom Interchange) |
| Major junctions |
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Highway 2 (Hebrew: כביש 2, Kvish 2) is an Israeli highway located on the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea. It stretches from Tel Aviv to Haifa. The highway is also called The Coastal Highway (Hebrew: כביש החוף, Kvish HaHof) or The New Haifa - Tel Aviv Highway (Hebrew: כביש חיפה - תל אביב החדש, Kvish Hefa - Tel Aviv HaHadash).
Highway 2 is one of the busiest highways in the country, and drivers experience frequent traffic congestion between Netanya and Tel Aviv during rush hours. The northern sections are also congested at times, especially during weekends and holidays, when many Israelis travel north for vacation.
[edit] History
The first section of the highway between Tel Aviv and Netanya was built in the early 1950's as a two lane road with at-grade intersections. The next section was built later that decade, extending the highway north to Olga Junction in Hadera. This section was also built as a two lane road. In 1965 the highway was widened to four lanes between Tel Aviv and Hadera, however grade separations were not built at this point.
The last section of the highway, between Olga Junction and Haifa, opened in 1969. When this section opened it was the first freeway in Israel. Deteriorating road conditions caused by years of neglect led to this section being downgraded from its original freeway status. Road signs on this section are still blue (as opposed to green on regular highways), however there are no signs indicating an entrance or exit from a freeway and the maximum speed limit is 90 km/h, as opposed to 100 or 110 on Israeli freeways.
The junctions on the older sections of the highway were gradually grade separated: Netanya Interchange was built in 1974, Poleg Interchange in 1975, Havazelet Interchange in 1989, Yanai Interchange in 1990, Olga Interchange in 1993, Hof HaSharon Interchange in 1994 and Rabin Interchange and HaSira Interchange in 1995. Today the highway is fully grade separated between Haifa South Interchange and West Glilot Interchange.
The Tel Aviv - Netanya section was widened to six lanes in the 1990's.
West Glilot Interchange opened on February 28, 2007, providing a direct connection to eastbound Highway 5 and to Ayalon Highway.
[edit] Future Plans
There are plans to continue the six lane section north to Zikhron Ya'aqov Interchange. These plans also include upgrading the remaining section between Zikhron Ya'aqov and Haifa back to freeway standards.
Work began in January 2007 on the Carmel Tunnels, which will form a northern extension of Highway 2 to the Kerayot area north of Haifa.
[edit] Interchanges
| km | Name | Type | Meaning | Location | Road(s) Crossed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | מחלף גלילות מערב (Glilot Ma'arav Interchange) |
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West Glilot | Tel Aviv |  (Highway 5) |
| 3 | מחלף הסירה (HaSira Interchange) |
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The Boat | Herzliya |  (Route 541) |
| 5 | מחלף רבין (Rabin Interchange) |
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Named after Yitzhak Rabin |
Herzliya, Kfar Shmaryahu | Keren Hayesod st. |
| Planned | |||||
| 6.6 | |
Ra'anana |  (Route 531) |
||
| 10 | מחלף חוף השרון (Hof HaSharon Interchange) |
|
Sharon Beach | Shefayim | Local roads |
| Planned | |||||
| 11.2 | |
Yakum |  (Route 551) |
||
| 17 | מחלף פולג (Poleg Interchange) |
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Named after nearby Poleg Stream |
Netanya |  (Route 553) |
| 19 | מחלף גשר השלום (Gesher HaShalom Interchange) |
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Peace Bridge | Netanya |  (Road 5611) |
| 23 | מחלף נתניה (Netanya Interchange) |
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Named after location | Netanya |  (Highway 57) |
| 27 | מחלף חבצלת (Havatzelet Interchange) |
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Named after location | Havatzelet HaSharon |  (Road 5710) |
| 30 | מחלף ינאי (Yanai Interchange) |
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Named after location | Beit Yanai |  (Road 5720) |
| Planned | |||||
| 33 | |
Hadera |  (Highway 61) |
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| 38 | מחלף אולגה (Olga Interchange) |
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Named after location | Hadera (Giv'at Olga quarter) |
Aaron Aaronsohn st. |
| 41 | מחלף קיסריה (Caesarea Interchange) |
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Named after location | Caesarea |  (Highway 65) |
| Under construction | |||||
| 46 | מחלף אור עקיבא (Or Akiva Interchange) |
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Named after location | Or Akiva | (Road 6511) |
| 53 | מחלף זכרון יעקב (Zikhron Ya'aqov Interchange) |
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Named after location | Zikhron Ya'aqov |  (Highway 70) |
| 68 | מחלף עתלית (Atlit Interchange) |
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Named after location | Atlit |   (Route 721/Road 7110) |
| 77 | מחלף חיפה דרום (Haifa Darom Interchange) |
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Haifa South | Haifa |  (Highway 4) |
