The End to the Struggle Over Tel Beit Shemesh?

After a protracted media struggle to preserve Tel Bet Shemesh and to change the planned route of Route 38, journalist Zion Sultan has reported that a compromise has finally been reached between the city of Beit Shemesh and Netivei Israel: the construction of a pedestrian overpass that will connect the two sides of the Tel.

According to Sultan, a meeting was held by city council members Shalom Edri and Zvi Wolicki; former Transportation Minister, MK Yisrael Katz; Transportation Ministry, V.P of Infrastructure, Kobi Blinstein; and Nisim Peretz, CEO of Netivei Israel, to find a solution that would allow the construction on Route 38 to be completed according to plan, and preserve the Tel and its discoveries at the same time.

At this meeting, Minister Katz approved NIS 50 million for the construction of an overpass that would connect the two areas of the Tel. Netivei Israel also agreed to significantly reduce the width of the road in the section that crosses the Tel in order not to damage the archeological findings. The plan is to reduce the planned road, without reducing the number of lanes, by building it without shoulders and without space for additional infrastructure.

For more updates and events in Beit Shemesh, join our no-chatter WhatsApp group!

Click and share the link to join: http://bit.ly/BetShemeshUpdates4