Jerusalem Road 21

Jerusalem Road 21
כביש 21 ירושלים
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Route information
Length:	7.35 km (4.57 mi)
Major junctions
South end:	Highway 1 (Yigael Yadin Blvd)
North end:	Beit Horon Road, Atarot
Highway system
Roads in Israel Highways

Jerusalem Road 21 is a new road beginning at Highway 1 between Ramat Shlomo and Shu'afat northward to Beit Hanina and the Atarot Industrial Park. Plans call for a boulevard with two lanes in each direction. Construction is expected to cost NIS 112 million and be completed by January 2015.

Route

The route will begin at a new junction on Highway 1 (Yigael Yadin Boulevard) 700 metres (2,300 ft) west of the Sha'ar Mizrah Junction with Highway 60. Traveling northward, the road will include new entrances to Ramat Shlomo and Shu'afat reaching an altitude of 810 m. It will continue along the western slopes of Shu'afat and Beit Hanina above the valley of the Atarot Stream. It will intersect with the new Jerusalem Road 20 and continue through north-west Beit Hanina, finally ending at the Atarot Industrial Park. Rather than through cutting and bridging to cross the many draws along the hillside, the road's alignment will follow a curving route while maintaining a relatively stable grade with minimal engineering.

History

Plans for the road were advanced in 2002 when Moriah Jerusalem Development Corporation approved designs and published tenders for its construction. In 2005, the Israel Ministry af Transport approved financing for more detailed designs and initial clearing and fencing along the route. In 2010, the Jerusalem Municipality announced its intention to purchase land for that purpose.

When the road was first proposed, the stated official purpose was to provide an alternative to part of the existing north-south route in the area. Specifically, Shuafat Road suffers traffic congestion during rush hours as a result of the Jerusalem Light Rail which runs along its median. This will be alleviated by several access points to the new road from the west side of Shuafat and Beit Hanina.

Palestinian groups point to an additional phrase in the stated purpose which says the new road would provide additional access to Ramat Shlomo and future neighborhoods (such as Nof Shmu'el) which are considered illegal settlements by the international community.

Construction began in early 2013 beginning at the southern end at Highway 1 (Yigael Yadin Boulevard). During the initial stages of clearing, Moriah Corporation unearthed a previously unknown stone quarry and stonecutters tools dating from over 2000 years ago. According to Irene Zilberbod, excavation director on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, the size and type of cuttings indicated that this particular quarry probably supplied stones for magnificent public buildings.

The section from Highway 1 to the first traffic circle opened September, 2014. The next section to the second traffic circle opened November, 2014.

Planned junctions (south to north)

km	Name	Type	Location	Road(s) Crossed
0			Ramat Shlomo, Shu'afat	30px Highway 1 (Yigael Yadin Boulevard)
0.35			Ramat Shlomo, Shu'afat	Hazon Ish Street, al-Maslah Street
1.55			Ramat Shlomo, Shu'afat	HaRav Almoshnino Street, al-Daher Street
Section 3 - Planned
			Shuafat, Beit Hanina
			Beit Hanina	Khalet Mesh'al Street
4.25			Beit Hanina	Jerusalem Road 20 (Abdul Hamid Shomaan Street)
Section 4 - Planned
5.6			Beit Hanina	Bir Nabala Road
6.5			Beit Hanina	Eliya Abu-Madi Street
7.35			Atarot Industrial Park	Beit Horon Road