Beginning on Wednesday, travelers on a portion of Road 6 will be able to drive 120 kmph, 10 kmph faster than today's speed limit on the highway, the Transportation Ministry announced on Monday. The increase in speed limit will initially apply only to the section of Road 6 between the Iron Interchange in the North and the Hadid Tunnels in the South.
The decision to raise the speed limit was made following a series of road safety improvements, including the replacement of safety barriers in a number of areas, the connection of bridge railings and the installation of reflective and blinking lane markers, a ministry statement said. Citing data from within the Transportation Ministry, the statement added that past speed limit transitions from 100 kmph to 110 kmph have not resulted in any negative impact on driver safety, and in some cases have even decreased the number of accidents.
In response, Shmuel Aboav, CEO of road safety organization Or Yarok, slammed the decision, noting that the number of road fatalities in Israel has risen for the third year in a row. Aboav called the change "surprising and irresponsible," stressing that "this is not the way to save lives on the roads."