Shoket Interchange is an
interchange
Interchange may refer to:
Transport
* Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways
* Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies
* Interchange station, a rai ...
in the
Negev
The Negev ( ; ) or Naqab (), is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southern end is the Gulf of Aqaba and the resort town, resort city ...
located between
Beersheba
Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most p ...
and
Meitar
Meitar () is a small local council north-east of Beersheba, in Israel's Southern District. The town lies on Highway 60 just south of the Green Line on the southern edge of Mount Hebron, alongside the Yatir Forest. Metar is 19 km north o ...
. It is the southern terminus of
Highway 6
Route 6, or Highway 6, may refer to routes in the following countries:
International
* AH6 (highway), Asian Highway 6
* European route E6
* European route E006
Albania
* :de:Nationalstraße 6 (Albanien), National Road SH6
Argentina
* P ...
,
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
's central and longest controlled-access highway, also known as the Trans-Israel Highway. Since the continuation of Highway 6 has been suspended, it is unknown if and when the Shoket Interchange will stop being the terminus of Highway 6.
At the Shoket Interchange, Highway 6 connects with
Highway 31 and
Highway 60
The following highways are numbered 60:
International
* Asian Highway 60
* European route E60
Australia
* Bruxner Highway
* Dawson Highway (Rolleston to Gladstone) – Queensland State Route 60
Brazil
* BR-060
Canada
* Alberta Highway 60 ...
at two different locations. The distance between Interchange Shoket South and Interchange Shoket West is 3.4 kilometers.
The distance from Shoket West to the nearby Lakiya Interchange is 4.0 kilometers.
[ The interchange is named after the nearby located ]Tel Shoket
Tel Shoket (Hebrew: תל שוקת) is an Israeli tell or archaeological hill in the north of the Negev. It is located adjacent to Highway 60, between the Meitar Interchange and Meitar. Tel Shoket gave name to the Shoket Interchange nearby.
At Te ...
.
The Shoket Interchange opened to traffic in November–December 2016 upon the opening of Highway 6 between Shoket Interchange and Lakiya Interchange, after it was initially planned to open in 2015. The southern section opened in November 2016, the "western" section in December. (note that the "west" section is actually slightly east of the south section) The Lakiya diamond interchange to the northwest was opened in April 2016.
Interchange structure
The interchange is divided into two parts:
In the southern part, Highway 6 from the north connects to Highway 60 towards the west only. Passengers from Highway 60 west to Highway 6 to the north will exit at the interchange to the connector (ramp) passing over a bridge above Highway 60.
In the northern part, Highway 31 passes over Highway 6 on a bridge. Those coming from Highway 31 from the east to Highway 6 to the north will do so by a simple connector that curves from Highway 31 to Highway 6. Those coming from Highway 6 from the north to Highway 6 to the east will do so by a connector in the form of a loop, of more than 270 degrees, that leaves Highway 6 and connects to Highway 31.
All other possible turns at the interchange are made through the Shoket Junction, renamed Meitar Interchange, located east of the Shoket Interchange that connects Highway 31 to Highway 60. This is a diamond intersection with traffic lights on Highway 60.
Future development
The continuation of Highway 6 is planned but suspended from the Shoket Interchange south, towards Nevatim Interchange, where it would connect to Highway 25. In the southern part of the interchange, areas were left for the future connectors at the interchange after the extension of Highway 6 southbound.
In addition, there is a plan to build the Shoket Industrial Park near the Meitar Interchange and the Shoket Interchange.industrial park
An industrial park, also known as industrial estate or trading estate, is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more heavyweight version of a business park or office par ...
will serve as a central employment and industrial center for the residents of the region. Also adjacent to the Shoket Interchange, will be the currently constructed Likit national intelligence center of Israel that may become accessible also by heavy rail.
References
{{reflist, 33em
External links
Highway 6 Ma'ahaz Interchange to Shoket interchange [and beyond
at YouTube">nd beyond">Highway 6 Ma'ahaz Interchange to Shoket interchange [and beyond
at YouTube
Road interchanges in Israel
Bnei Shimon Regional Council