The Akbara Bridge

About the Project

The Upper Galilee region is known for its spectacular landscapes, but the high mountains make it very difficult to access the area. This challenge was placed before the Shapir Group when awarded the tender for the design and construction of the Akbara Bridge near Tsafat.

The Akbara Bridge was built using the Balanced Cantilever Method via a slip form – an advanced method for building bridges that Shapir first applied in this project. The bridge was constructed using the segment method. Its length is 420 meters, 14 meters wide and rises to a height of 80 meters on four concrete pillars. The support pillars that span between them are 99 meters, bearing the structure between two rock cliffs. The view from the bridge, one of the highest in Israel, is a breathtaking panoramic view of the Nahal Akbara channel spread out far and wide over the Galilee region.

Client: The National Company for Roads and Infrastructures Ltd
Period of Construction: 1997-2003
Financial Scope: Approximately NIS 80 million