Saudi Arabia is planning to build an 826-km expressway that will cost about SR3 billion ($800 million).

The Qassim-Madinah-Yanbu-Rabigh expressway will be built in three phases.

The first phase calls for the construction of a two-way road with three lanes on each side between Qassim and Madinah. The road will begin at the point where the Riyadh-Qassim Expressway ends and cross the Bakeriya-Riyadh Al-Khobara Road.

The second phase will link Madinah with Yanbu as the new highway will start from the third ring road close to the holy city and pass by Sudaira village and Faqra mountains, cross the present Yanbu road and join the Yanbu-Rabigh Expressway.

The new highway is expected to speed up the transportation of goods from the Yanbu Industrial City and King Fahd Industrial Port in the city to other parts of the country, especially to Madinah, Qassim and Riyadh.

The new expressway will be one of main arteries linking various parts of the country.

Sources at the Communications Ministry say the project is likely to be given to the private sector.