# Route 899 (Israel)

Route 899 is an east-west regional highway in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel. For almost its entire length of 63 km, it proceeds parallel to the nearby border between Israel and Lebanon. In Israel, Route 899 is commonly known as the "northern route" (Hebrew: כביש הצפון, Kevish HaTzafon).

## History

The road was paved in 1937 as part of the efforts to suppress the Arab revolt. After the road was paved, a fence was placed alongside it called the "northern fence" or "Tegart's wall," which was completed in July 1938. This fence continued south from the area of Metzudat Koach toward Lake Kinneret. On the side of the road were placed Tegart fortresses, which are now located in Ya'ara, Shomera, Sasa, Avivim and Metzudat Koach. Sixteen pillboxes were built alongside the road between the fortresses. Under the control of the British Mandate in Palestine, access to the road was not open, requiring special permission. The road began alongside the village Basa, what is now Betzet and the city Shlomi, and ended at the point next to Metzudat Koach, while it passed near the large Arab settlements. The road was paved several kilometres from the border with Lebanon. The northern fence was taken down in 1942, but the fortresses and pillboxes remained along the length of the road.

## The Road Today

The present-day path of the road is primarily parallel to the old British Mandate road, but it differs in a number of locations. The road underwent many renovations and improvements. In several places on the route, signs point to the "old northern road" to sections of a few kilometres that pass just north of the present-day road and return to merge into the same one. The national transportation authority sometimes prepares new segments that pass along the backsides of the northern settlements, making the road more distant from the border between Israel and Lebanon. This enables access to the communities from the south, away from it and toward most of Israel's area.
The "northern route" is numbered 899 in the national highway numbering system. It begins in the west at Betzet junction, next to the Mediterranean shore between Rosh HaNikra and Akhziv, where it meets Highway 4. The road climbs via Shefa Valley and turns south to Even Menachem and Netu'a. It meets Highway 89 at Hiram junction near Sasa and afterward follows the path of Nahal Dishon. After Malkia, the road descends into Kadesh Valley and splits away from the international border with Lebanon. After Metzudat Koach, the road slopes precipitously downward toward the Hula Valley and ends at Ko'ah junction, where it meets Highway 90.

## Junctions (West to East)

| District | Location | km | mi | Name | Destinations |
| Northern | Betzet | 0 | 0.0 | צומת בצת (Betzet Junction) | Highway 4 |
| Northern | Shlomi | 2.5 | 1.6 | צומת שלומי (Shlomi Junction) | Road 8990 |
| Northern | Shlomi | 3 | 1.9 | צומת חניתה (Hanita Junction) | Highway 70 |
| Northern | Adamit | 6 | 3.7 | צומת אדמית (Adamit Junction) | Road 8993 |
| Northern | Ya'ara | 7 | 4.3 | צומת יערה (Ya'ara Junction) | Entrance to Ya'ara |
| Northern | Elion | 10 | 6.2 | צומת אילון (Eilon Junction) | Bein HaNehalim Road |
| Northern | Goren | 12 | 7.5 | צומת גורן (Goren junction) | Entrance to Goren |
| Northern | Gornot HaGalil | 13 | 8.1 | צומת גרנות הגליל (Gornot HaGalil Junction) | Road 8996 |
| Northern | Shomera | 16.5 | 10.3 | צומת שומרה (Shomera Junction) | Road 8998 |
| Northern | Even Menachem | 17.5 | 10.9 | צומת אבן מנחם (Even Menachem Junction) | Road 8933 |
| Northern | Netu'a | 22 | 14 | צומת נטועה (Netu'a Junction) | Road 8999 |
| Northern | Biranit | 24.5 | 15.2 | מחנה בירנית (Biranit Camp) | Road 8944 |
| Northern | Biranit | 25.5 | 15.8 | מחנה בירנית (Biranit Camp) | Road 8933 |
| Northern | Mattat | 27.5 | 17.1 | צומת מתת (Mattat Junction) | Road 8935 |
| Northern | Sasa | 33 | 21 | צומת סאסא (Sasa Junction) | Highway 89 |
| Northern | Sasa | 33.5 | 20.8 | צומת חירם (Hiram Junction) | Highway 89 |
| Northern | Dovev | 35.5 | 22.1 | צומת דוב"ב (Dovev Junction) | Road 8967 |
| Northern | Bar'am | 37.5 | 23.3 | צומת ברעם (Bar'am Junction) | Road 8963 |
| Northern | Rehaniya | 40.5 | 25.2 | צומת ריחאניה (Rehaniya Junction) | Road 8966 |
| Northern | Yir'on | 43.5 | 27.0 | צומת יראון (Yir'on Junction) | Entrance to Yir'on |
| Northern | Avivim | 46 | 29 | צומת אביבים (Avivim Junction) | Road 8967 |
| Northern | Malkia | 52 | 32 | צומת מלכיה (Malkia Junction) | Entrance to Malkia |
| Northern | Ramot Naftali | 57.5 | 35.7 | צומת האלה (Ha'Ela Junction) | Route 886 (northbound) |
| Northern | Ramot Naftali | 58 | 36 | צומת ישע (Yesha Junction) | Route 886 (southbound) |
| Northern | Hula Valley | 63 | 39 | צומת כ"ח (Ko'ah Junction) | Highway 90 |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus |||||||