Iksal Tunnel

About the Project

The Upper Galilee region is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, but the rugged terrain posed significant accessibility challenges due to its lofty mountains. Shapir undertook the formidable task of addressing this issue when awarded the contract for designing and constructing the Akbara Bridge near Safed.

Employing the balanced cantilever method with a slip form—an innovative bridge-building technique introduced by Shapir for the first time in this project and later applied in subsequent endeavors—the Akbara Bridge stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity. 

The bridge, constructed using the segmental method, spans 420 meters in length, extends 14 meters in width, and soars to a height of 80 meters, supported by four imposing concrete pillars. These support columns, featuring a remarkable 99-meter span, gracefully traverse the structure between two rocky cliffs. At the time of its completion, this bridge claimed the title of the tallest in Israel. The view from the Akbara Bridge unfolds a breathtaking panoramic vista of the Akbara Stream and the expansive Galilee region in the distance.

Client: Netivei Israel Ltd
Period of Construction: 2003 – 2007
Financial Scope: Approximately NIS 80 million