Highway 50, officially named Begin Boulevard, is a north-south urban highway running through West Jerusalem, named after Israel's sixth Prime Minister, Menachem Begin.
An ambitious plan to cover a 1.6-kilometer stretch of the highway was recently unveiled, but more than 700 objections to the initiative have sparked a debate that could delay its approval.
The plan proposes the creation of a new space that would connect the Beit Hakerem and Givat Ram neighborhoods, with a park, 2.000 housing units and other urban facilities.
The hearing process for the oppositions will last three days, with sessions of up to 12 hours per day.
In addition to local residents, various organizations have also raised complaints about the project. For example, the Israel Land Authority requires that the treatment of contaminated land in the Beit Hakerem industrial and commercial zone be completed before issuing building permits.