Highway 6 (Israel)

Highway 6
כביש חוצה ישראל Kvish Chotze Yisrael כביש יצחק רבין Kvish Yitzchak Rabin
Cross Israel Highway Yitzhak Rabin Highway
Route information
Length:	140 km (90 mi)
Major junctions
South end:	Ma'ahaz (Ma'ahaz Interchange)
	Sorek Interchange Nesharim Interchange Ben Shemen Interchange Kessem Interchange Iron Interchange Ein Tut Interchange
North end:	Ein Tut Interchange (Milek stream)
Location
Major cities:	Be'er Sheva, Kiryat Gat, Ramla, Petah Tikva, Rosh HaAyin, Pardes Hanna-Karkur, Hadera, Yokne'am, Haifa,
Highway system
Roads in Israel Highways

The Israeli Toll-Road symbol featuring the Sheqel symbol from the Israeli new sheqel

Headquarters and control centre near Rosh HaAyin

The highway 6 bridge over the Narbeta wadi, about 2 kilometers south of the Iron interchange; the Arab village Meiser is in the background

Highway 6 (Hebrew: כביש 6‎, Kvish Shesh), widely known as the Trans-Israel Highway or Cross-Israel Highway (Hebrew: כביש חוצה ישראל‎, Kvish Chotzeh Yisra'el, "Trans Israel Highway"), is a major electronic toll highway in Israel. The highway was officially dedicated as the Yitzhak Rabin Highway (Hebrew: כביש יצחק רבין‎, Kvish Yitzchak Rabin), though this name is not commonly used. It started operating in the early 2000s and is being lengthened as construction proceeds on newer sections. As of 2009, parts of it are still under construction and the northern terminus was extended to the Ein Tut Interchange on July 20, 2009 where the highway now merges into Highway 70 heading northwards.

The aim of the Highway is to provide an efficient north-south transportation corridor in the country while allowing drivers to bypass the traffic-congested Tel Aviv region, located in the center of the country. Thus it is the Eastern-most major highway in Israel, in some places located almost right on the Green Line. Currently Highway 6 is 140 km long, all of which is a freeway. This figure will grow in the next few years as additional segments, currently undergoing statutory approvals and permitting processes, are extended from the existing section of the road.

Highway 6 is the first Israeli BOT road constructed, carried out mainly by the private sector in return for a license to collect tolls on the highway for a given number of years. It is also one of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken in Israel in recent years.

Unique characteristics and pricing

Highway 6 uses a system of cameras and transponders to toll vehicles automatically. There are no toll booths, allowing Highway 6 to be designed as a normal freeway with interchanges. A radio antenna detects when a vehicle with a transponder has entered and exited the highway, calculating the toll rate. For vehicles without a transponder, an automatic license plate recognition system is used. Monthly statements are mailed to users. Highway 6 is based on the technology of the Highway 407 in Ontario, Canada.

The pricing scheme for Highway 6 is based on the number of segments a driver passes in a given trip. Each segment is the road span between two interchanges (with one particular interchange being an exception). As of April 2010, the pricing for up to 3 segments is 17.79 NIS, 21.39 for 4 segments, and 24.99 for 5 or more segments. Additional fee is paid when driving through the "northern" segment, the cost of which is additional 4.67. Pricing for motorcycles and heavy vehicles such as trucks is different.

The price above is for drivers who register with Highway 6's operator and install the in-vehicle transponder unit (called a "Passkal", pronounced with emphasis on the "kal", lit. "easy-pass") to record their highway usage. When a vehicle does not have a transponder, its license plate is scanned and the vehicle identified. Drivers who pre-register their license plate with the Highway 6's operator and establish a direct billing relationship receive a discounted rate (though they pay more than those who have installed a "Passkal"). If a license plate is not located in Highway 6's database then the bill is sent to the owner of the vehicle according to the car registration with the Israeli Ministry of Transportation. Such a vehicle pays the highest rate, 40-80% higher than "Passkal" rates.

The licensed road operator, Derech Eretz, operates a fleet of service vehicles that patrol the entire length of the highway and assist drivers in need. Since it is technically a private road, the road operator is required to pay the police for traffic enforcement.

Financial results and statistics

In March 2006, Derech Eretz reported a profit of 89 million NIS for 2005, an increase of 56% from 2004, on income of 779 million NIS, an increase of 137% from 2004.

At the end of 2005:

• about 500 000 registered subscribers (one subscriber can own multiple vehicles),
• 1.36 million individual users (increase from 1.1 million users),
• 21 million trips,
• 80% of trips are by subscribers,
• Bill collection success rate was 97%.

Interchanges

The highway's kilometer count starts at 66, since it includes the planned southern extensions.

Highway 6 near Horshim Interchange

km	Name	Type	Meaning	Location	Road(s) Crossed
66	מחלף מאחז (Ma'ahaz Interchange)		Named after nearby Ma'ahaz Stream	Beit Kama	(Highway 40)
76	מחלף קרית גת (Kiryat Gat Interchange)		Named after location	Kiryat Gat	(Highway 35)
100	מחלף שורק (Sorek Interchange)		Named after nearby Brook of Sorek	Yad Binyamin	(Highway 3/Highway 7)
In planning stages
106	מחלף חולדה (Hulda Interchange)		Named after location	Hulda	(Route 411)
111	Petrol and rest area			Na'an	both directions
114	מחלף נשרים (Nesharim Interchange)		Named after nearby Nesher Factory	Ramla	(Highway 431/Highway 44/Route 424)
118	מחלף דניאל (Daniel Interchange) concurrent section with Highway 1		Named after location	Kfar Daniel	(Highway 1 west-bound)
122	מחלף בן שמן (Ben Shemen Interchange)		Named after location	Ben Shemen	(Highway 1 east-bound/Route 443/Route 444)
123	tunnel		Named after location	Tel Hadid	2 lanes - 450 metres
123	Bridge		Named after location	Tel Hadid	2 lanes - 300 metres
124	Bridge		Named after location	Beit Nehemiah	2 lanes - 170 metres
In planning stages
133	מחלף גבעת כ"ח (Giv'at Koah Interchange)		Named after location	Giv'at Koah	(Route 444; Route 461)
137	מחלף נחשונים (Nahshonim Interchange)		Named after location	Nahshonim	(Route 471)
142	מחלף קסם (Kessem Interchange)		Named after nearby Kafr Qasim	Rosh HaAyin	(Highway 5/Route 444)
145	מחלף חורשים (Horshim Interchange)		Named after location	Horshim	(Route 531/Road 5233)
153	מחלף אייל (Eyal Interchange)		Named after location	Eyal	(Route 551)
166	מחלף ניצני עוז (Nitzanei Oz Interchange)		Named after location	Nitzanei Oz	(Highway 57)
174	Petrol and rest area			Lehavot Haviva	both directions
177	מחלף באקה (Baqa Interchange)		Named after location	Baqa-Jat	(Highway 61)
186	מחלף עירון (Iron Interchange)		Named after nearby Iron Stream	Barkai	(Highway 65)
194.5	tunnel		Named after location	Giv'at Nili	2 lanes - 350 metres
200	מחלף עין תות (Ein Tut Interchange)		Named after nearby Nahal Tut	Elyakim	(Highway 70)

External links

• Official website (Hebrew)
• Driving on Highway 6 - Video journey on YouTube