In addition to the dozens of world leaders and their extensive security escorts, thousands of mourners from across the country expected to arrive to bid farewell to Shimon Peres, causing heavy traffic jams throughout the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv areas.
The funeral procession for Former President Shimon Peres will cause several road closures along major thoroughfares throughout the capital between Thursday morning and Friday afternoon. There will be a free shuttle service between major parking lots and the Knesset on Thursday.
The following roads will be closed starting Thursday: Derech Mordehai Ish Shalom, Yehoshu’a Farbstein St., Herzl Boulevard from the Chords Bridge to Holland Square, Shmu’el Bait toward Har Herzl, Bayit VeGan, Ha-Zikaron St., Beit Agron and Ramban until the Hotel Square.
Police further added that Highway 1 (Tel Aviv-Jerusalem) will be blocked periodically on Thursday and Friday. During the funeral procession from Tzrifin to Jerusalem, Highway 1 is expected to be closed early on Thursday morning. The route from Ben-Gurion International Airport to Jerusalem will be blocked due to the arrival of foreign dignitaries for the funeral Thursday and Friday.
Beginning at 07:00am Friday, vehicular access to Mt. Herzl will be blocked and all cars parked along the route will be towed. Highway 1 will be blocked from Jerusalem to Ben-Gurion Airport In the afternoon following funeral services.
Due to the expected arrival of people from all over the country coming for the funeral, heavy traffic is expected to roads leading to Jerusalem such as Route 443 and Highway 1.
There will be free parking in various parking locations around Jerusalem for the members of the public who wish to pay their final respects to the former president as he lies in state in the Knesset. There will be a shuttle service which will shuttle the public between the parking lots and the Knesset plaza.
The parking lots with shuttle service will be: the parking lot at the Old Jerusalem Railway station, Teddy Stadium parking lot, Ammunition Hill parking lot, and the Ein Yael parking lot next to the Biblical Zoo.
Parking areas outside of Jerusalem with shuttle service to the Knesset are the Latrun parking lot and the Park and Go parking lot in Modi’in.
The president, speaker of the knesset, and the prime minister will lay wreaths at Peres’ coffin Thursday at 8:45am, which will be take place on the Knesset plaza. Members of the public will be able to pass by the coffin to pay their respects from 9:00am until 9:00pm. Israeli flags at the Knesset and all other government institutions as well the IDF and Police, will be lowered to half-staff until the eve of the funeral.
The Shiva (Jewish mourning period) will be held at the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa on Friday for two hours before Shabbat.
As reported by Ynetnews