Rebuilding Roads Under Fire: Netivei Israel's Post-Oct 7 Infrastructure Drive

The days following October 7 were characterized by total chaos across the country, but the employees of Netivei Israel (National Roads Company) had no time to enter a state of shock. From the moment the magnitude of the disaster was understood, it was clear that a very rapid response was needed for the Gaza envelope and the surrounding region, says Dan Bracha, Southern Region Manager at Netivei Israel. A detailed plan was built based on three stages, with the first aiming to provide an immediate and rapid response to all damages.

When Bracha refers to all damages, he literally means the horrifying sights that befell the region: tanks that punctured roads, burnt vehicles in every corner, all within a combat zone that had not yet been fully cleared, with remnants of the events still present in some locations. One must also remember that everything was under fire, notes Bracha. In the first few weeks, 1,700 vehicles were cleared, involving dozens of work groups, hundreds of people, and dozens of equipment pieces. In some places, such as Nir Oz, there was also military escort, and the idea was to reach the yellow gate of the settlements and kibbutzim.

Moving Forward and Infrastructure Reconstruction

This initial phase cost the company approximately 25 million shekels, aiming to allow safe movement across various routes as much as possible. Following this came the second stage, which included extensive reconstruction costing over 100 million shekels. Among other things, Route 232 was rehabilitated after being damaged on October 7, serving as a central transportation artery for the western Negev settlements. Even before October 7, a project to upgrade 44 kilometers across five sections of this road was already promoted, continuing to this day.

Beyond reconstruction, the third stage aimed to improve access roads, safety, and infrastructure in the area rather than merely restoring the status quo. For example, in Kerem Shalom, the access road was regulated through sidewalk and lighting works in a project totaling about 3.8 million shekels. At the Re'im complex, which became a significant pilgrimage site, a new roundabout was built at the entrance to the Nova site, costing about 4.5 million shekels. Additional works in the Eshkol Regional Council included a new roundabout at the Be'eri junction, valued at approximately 3.6 million shekels.

Challenges in the North and Budget Delays

Parallel to the activities in the western Negev, Netivei Israel has been promoting the Shachar LaTzafon (Dawn for the North) program under Government Resolution 4194, aimed at restoring, upgrading, and developing transportation infrastructure in settlements and routes located within 0–9 kilometers from the Lebanese border. Within this framework, a plan worth approximately 600 million shekels was formulated to address war damages alongside long-term improvements in transport service levels.

However, work in the north has proven significantly more challenging due to multiple dispersed focal points across a wide geographical area. While the southern effort focused heavily on Route 232, the northern projects involve regional and local roads, small scattered settlements, and vital escape routes. Although the government allocated funds, bureaucratic delays between ministries created a gap between planning and execution until funding began flowing following public appeals by company leadership.