Ayalon, Road 2 to Get Carpool Lanes

For the first time, major highways in Israel will have carpool lanes. Beginning October 4, both the Ayalon Expressway and a portion of Road 2 (the Coastal Road) will feature a lane where only cars with at least multiple occupants will be able to travel. Buses and taxis will be able to use the lane as well.

The decision to set aside the lanes was made this week by the Transportation Ministry. Beginning in October, a 22-kilometer segment of Road 2, between Netanya and the Gelilot Junction in north Tel Aviv, will have a transportation lane set aside for vehicles with two or more passengers. Later on, a major portion of the Ayalon Expressway will have a lane set aside that will require vehicles with three or more occupants in order for vehicles to travel in it.

According to OECD figures, Israelis tend to travel alone in their vehicles more than residents of other countries. The average car trip for Israelis has 1.2 occupants in a vehicle, while the OECD average is between 1.6 and 1.8 occupants per vehicle.