JEDDAH: A number of new Saudi transportation projects have been announced on the first day of the Future Projects Forum hosted by the Saudi Contractors Authority.

The online event on Monday saw the unveiling of exciting projects that will benefit the Saudi economy and boost the Kingdom’s tourism industry.

It was reported that the contracting sector accounted for 6.4 percent of local production in the Kingdom last year and contained about 175,000 businesses.

The forum, held in partnership with Saudi Aramco and SABIC, will showcase about 1000 projects planned in the Kingdom over the next three years.

As part of the forum, 37 private and governmental bodies will reveal projects worth more than SR600 billion ($160 billion).

The Ministry of Transport announced a number of projects during the forum, including a 400 kilometer dual carriageway between Hail and Al-Ula, which will help improve transport between the two areas.

The ministry also announced a two-lane highway project called Al-Shimassi-Al Qor, which will be built in Makkah. The 63 kilometer three-lane highway will be completed within three years. The project will help increase the number of pilgrims who can access the city during peak periods, helping to reduce traffic congestion.

A linking road between the Jubail and Dammam highways was also discussed, while it was announced that the Dhahran-Al Batha road is scheduled to be completed within the next three years.

The Kingdom’s contracting market is regarded as the largest in the Middle East, with international reports estimating that the sector’s new project volume exceeds 5,000 projects worth up to SR6 trillion. The forum will continue online on Tuesday and Wednesday.