Highway 38 (Israel)
Highway 38 is an arterial road in the low plains of Judea in Israel. It serves as the main access route to Beit Shemesh and as a main north-south route in the region. Along the route are many nature preserves and archeological sites.
Route
Highway 38 travels in a north-northeast direction as it winds through the western foothills of the Judaean Mountains from Highway 35 at Nehusha Junction near Beit Guvrin to Highway 1 at Sha'ar HaGai Interchange.Along many stretches, it follows small valleys formed by northward turns of westward streams emanating from the mountains to the east, notably, the Yoresh, Hakhlil, Yarmut and Kisalon Streams. Between the stream valleys and north of Eshtaol the road rises and falls as it crosses the many east-west ridges.
History
From biblical times the road is mentioned in as the route taken by the Philistines returning the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites in Beth-Shemesh.During the Roman Era, the road was an important route as evidenced by milestones found near Givat Yeshayahu as part of the road from Ashkelon via Highway 35 to Beit Guvrin, northward along Highway 38, then westward via the Elah Valley to Jerusalem.
In 1948, the Latrun section of Highway 1 was taken over by Jordan. Traffic between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was diverted to a new route called ":he:כביש הגבורה|Kvish HaGvura" of which Highway 38 served as the connection between Highway 44 at Shimshon Junction and Highway 1 at Sha'ar HaGai. This section of the road was straightened and widened in 1960.
At the end of 2012, the National Roads Company of Israel published tenders to upgrade the northern section of the road creating a divided highway with two lanes in each direction between Beit Shemesh and Sha'ar HaGai. The government granted approval on 6 June 2013. The approval was made through the special "Housing Cabinet" since the road's expansion is a condition for plans to build an additional apartments and homes in Beit Shemesh.
The newly rebuilt highway costing 800M shekels was inaugurated in September, 2017. Bridge interchanges at Naham/Hartuv, Shimshon Junction/Eshtaol and Mesilat Zion with tunnel interchanges at the Sha'ar HaGai Caravanserai and the Burma Road were completed. A wildlife bridge was built near Mesilat Zion and the road was raised to overpass the railway tracks at Beit Shemesh. The road includes highway lighting and bicycle paths along its entire length. The upgrade of the once relatively unsafe road into a modern highway will significantly cut travel time between Beit Shemesh and Tel Aviv or Jerusalem and allow the area's population to grow significantly.
Junctions & Interchanges (south to north)
| km | Name | Type | Meaning | Location | Road crossed |
| 0 | צומת נחושה ' | Steadfast | Beit Guvrin | Highway 35 | |
| 4.7 | צומת מושב נחושה ' | named after location | Nehusha | local road | |
| 7.3 | Mitzpe Mesu'a, Adullam Grove Nature Reserve, Hurbat Atari Archeological Site, Hurbat Burgin Archeological Site | local roads | |||
| 7.8 | צומת שריגים ' | Shoots | Le-On, Givat Yeshayahu, Tzafririm | Route 353 Route 3544 | |
| 8.4 | Givat Yeshayahu | local road | |||
| 9.3 | Srigim Cemetery | local road | |||
| 10.1 | צומת האלה ' | Named after biblical location Valley of the Terebinth | Valley of Elah, Netiv HaLamed-Heh, Sha'arayim Archeological Site, Socoh Archeological Site | Route 375 | |
| 11.9 | צומת עזקה ' | Named after biblical location | Azekah Archeological Site, Britannia Park | Highway 383 | |
| 12.7 | צומת זכריה ' | Named after biblical character Zechariah | Zekharia | local Road | |
| 15.2 | צומת רמת בית שמש ' | Beit Shemesh Heights | Beit Shemesh | Nahal Nove'a St. | |
| 16.7 | צומת בית ג'מאל ' | Named after biblical character Gamaliel | Beit Jimal Monastery | local Road | |
| 17.2 | צומת ברוש ' | Cypress | Brosh West Industrial Area | Virginia St. | |
| 18.6 | צומת בית שמש דרום ' | South Beit Shemesh | Beit Shemesh | Yehuda Ben Ze'ev Blvd. | |
| 18.7 | צומת ישעי ' | My Salvation | Yish'i | local Road | |
| 19.1 | Tel Beit Shemesh Archeological Site | local road | |||
| 20.2 | צומת בית שמש ' | House of the Sun | Beit Shemesh, Tzora | Yigal Allon Ave. Road 3835 | |
| 20.9 | צומת הרטוב | Beit Shemesh | Route 3855 | ||
| 22.1 | מחלף הרטוב ' | Mount of Goodness | Hartuv Industrial Area A | HaTa'asiya St, to Eretz HaHaim Cemetery, to Naham Cemetery | |
| 23 | מחלף שמשון ' | Named after biblical character Samson | Eshtaol | Highway 44, Eshtaol, to Route 395 | |
| 23.3 | Eshtaol | filling station, strip mall | |||
| 26 | מחלף מסילת ציון ' | Track of Zion | Mesilat Zion | Cochin St. | |
| 26.7 | National Forest | local road | |||
| 28.3 | מחלף דרך בורמה ' | Burma Road, Mahal Memorial, Rabin Park National Forest, to Sha'ar HaGai Caravanserai | local road filling station | ||
| 28.9 | מחלף שער הגיא | Gate of the Valley | Sha'ar HaGai | Highway 1 |