South end: Nechusha Junction Major cities Beit Shemesh | Length 29 km | |
 | ||
North end: Sha'r HaGai Interchange | ||
Highway 38 is an arterial road in the low plains of Judea in Israel. It serves as the main access route to Beit Shemesh and as a main north-south route in the region. Along the route are many nature preserves and archeological sites.
Contents
Route
Highway 38 travels in a north-northeast direction as it winds through the western foothills of the Judaean Mountains from Highway 35 at Beit Guvin Junction to Highway 1 at Sha'ar HaGai Interchange. Except for a small section adjacent to Beit Shemesh, the road is a two-lane, undivided highway. Along many stretches, it follows small valleys formed by northward turns of westward streams emanating from the mountains to the east, notably, the Yoresh, Hakhlil, Yarmut and Kisalon Streams. Between the stream valleys and north of Eshtaol the road rises and falls as it crosses the many east-west ridges.
History
From biblical times the road is mentioned in 1Samuel 6:12 as the route taken by the Philistines returning the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites in Beth-Shemesh.
During the Roman Era, the road was an important route as evidenced by milestones found near Givat Yeshayahu as part of the road from Ashkelon via Highway 35 to Beit Guvrin, northward along Highway 38, then westward via the Elah Valley to Jerusalem.
In 1948, the Latrun section of Highway 1 was taken over by Jordan. Traffic between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was diverted to a new route called "Kvish HaGvura" (Road of Bravery) of which Highway 38 served as the connection between Highway 44 at Shimshon Junction and Highway 1 at Sha'ar HaGai. This section of the road was straightened and widened in 1960.
For many years, an expansion of Highway 38 was envisioned. In 2010, the Mayor of Beit Shemesh raised the problem of the road between Sha'ar HaGai and Beit Shemesh calling it a "bloodbath" due to the many fatal traffic accidents. The Ministry of Transport claimed that the upgrade would take until 2013. However, plans were pushed back several times because of budgetary constraints. In the meantime, as of 2013, a short section of the road between Beit Shemesh and Beit Jamal has been widened and junctions have been upgraded.
Future
At the end of 2012, the National Roads Company of Israel published tenders to upgrade the road creating a divided highway with two lanes in each direction between Beit Shemesh and Sha'ar HaGai. The government granted approval on 6 June 2013. The approval was made through the special "Housing Cabinet" since the road's expansion is a condition for plans to build an additional 20,000 apartments and homes in Beit Shemesh.
A trumpet interchange will be created at Shimshon Junction and diamond interchanges at Naham/Hartuv, Eshtaol, Mesilat Zion, the Burma Road and the Sha'ar HaGai Caravansserai. A wildlife crossing (ecological bridge) will be built near Mesilat Zion and the road will be raised to overpass the railway tracks at Beit Shemesh. The estimated completion date is now 2016 and the cost will reach 900M Shekels.