Israel Railways Opens New Lod Access Road to Eliminate Level Crossing
Israel Railways and the Ministry of Transportation opened a new access road in Lod, investing 20 million shekels to permanently close a hazardous level crossing and boost rail safety.
The Ministry of Transportation and Israel Railways have completed a major infrastructure project in Lod with the opening of a new access road in the Pardes Snir neighborhood. Built with an investment of approximately 20 million shekels, the new road allows for the permanent closure of the longstanding level crossing in the neighborhood. This initiative aims to prevent fatal accidents, streamline local vehicular traffic, and directly improve service quality, safety, and train punctuality along this rail section.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Pedestrian Safety
The construction work, planned and executed by the Roads and Traffic Arrangements Division at Israel Railways, involved paving a new 500-meter-long traffic route. The road was constructed over a dedicated drainage culvert built specifically for the project, featuring advanced LED lighting poles along the entire route, wide pedestrian sidewalks, and comprehensive landscaping and irrigation development.
Simultaneously with closing the crossing to vehicles, the old intersection route was adapted into a safe and accessible pedestrian passage. Israel Railways upgraded the crossing by installing safety guardrails, specialized tactile paving stones for visually impaired individuals, and spacious emergency escape areas.
National Strategy and Ongoing Safety Campaigns
The closure of the Lod crossing is part of a broader national strategic plan promoted by the Ministry of Transportation and the railway company to eliminate level crossings nationwide. Over the past decade, more than 35 crossings have been eliminated across the country, with recent closures in Atlit, Hazrot Yassaf, Nitzanim, Karmiel, Avihayil, Kiryat Motzkin, Havat Ronit, Kfar Chabad, Ma'ayan Tsvi, and Shefayim. Additional closures are planned over the next two years to accelerate train speeds and further optimize schedules.
Alongside infrastructure investments, Israel Railways reminded the public that active level crossings still exist nationwide. Although these crossings feature advanced technological warning, prevention, and monitoring systems, officials emphasize that no system replaces driver vigilance and sound judgment. The railway urges motorists and pedestrians to exercise extreme caution near railway tracks, obey traffic signals and barriers, and strictly adhere to traffic laws.
