Netivei Israel Launches NIS 9 Billion Highway Upgrade Blitz with 17 New Tenders

Netivei Israel, the country's national roads company, has issued 17 new tenders with a combined value of NIS 8–9 billion ($2.1–$2.4 billion) in what officials describe as the largest single procurement round in the organization's history. The massive tender package targets chronic congestion bottlenecks across central and northern Israel, with construction timelines ranging from 3 to 7 years.

Highway 44: NIS 2 Billion Central Corridor Overhaul

The flagship project in the tender batch is a comprehensive upgrade of Highway 44 near Tzrifin and Beit Dagan, one of the most congested corridors in the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The NIS 2 billion project includes two new interchanges, significant lane expansions, a continuous dedicated public transport lane, a new regional bus terminal, and dedicated bicycle infrastructure.

Highway 44 serves as a critical east-west connector between Ben Gurion Airport and the southern Tel Aviv suburbs, carrying over 120,000 vehicles per day. The upgrade will integrate the corridor with NTA's planned light rail extensions, creating a multimodal transportation hub serving Rishon LeZion, Lod, and Ramle.

Highway 4 and Sharon Region Upgrades

A second major tender covers Highway 4 between the Hadarim interchange and Ra'anana South, allocating approximately NIS 1.2 billion for continuous public transport lanes and a complete interchange replacement. The project aims to reduce commute times for the 80,000 daily drivers on this heavily trafficked segment of the coastal highway.

In the Sharon region, Netivei Israel has issued tenders worth NIS 2 billion for a bypass road around Kfar Yona and comprehensive upgrades to Route 57. These projects will significantly improve connectivity between the coastal plain and inland communities, a growing priority as urban sprawl pushes residential development further from employment centers in Tel Aviv and Herzliya.

Road 9: New East-West Connector

A NIS 700 million tender for Road 9 will create a new 10-kilometer, four-lane connection between Hadera and Route 6, Israel's main north-south toll highway. The project fills a long-standing gap in the northern road network where east-west connectivity has lagged behind population growth.

Western Galilee Capacity Boost

In the north, a $350 million project will double traffic capacity on Road 77, including the reconstruction of the Hamovil and Somech junctions. This investment addresses persistent bottlenecks that have constrained economic development in the western Galilee region, home to a growing industrial base and the expanding city of Karmiel.

Labor and Supply Chain Challenges

Netivei Israel CEO Yoav Tal acknowledged that executing the unprecedented procurement volume will strain Israel's construction labor market. "We are working with the Ministry of Construction to ensure adequate workforce availability, including the expedited processing of foreign construction worker permits," Tal said in a statement.

The tender blitz follows a 2025 government decision to accelerate road infrastructure investment as part of the national economic recovery plan. With several projects expected to break ground in late 2026, Netivei Israel forecasts that the full package will generate over 15,000 construction jobs during peak activity periods.