JEDDAH: Soon a drive from Makkah’s city center to King Abdulaziz International Airport will take 35 minutes, easily reducing the current driving time by 25 minutes. Before this year’s Haj season, the new 85 kilometer-long Makkah-Jeddah Huda Al-Sham Highway will be operating partly, stretching for 35 kilometers between the two cities. The new road connects Al-Haramain Road (Jeddah highway), Al-Hijra Road (Madina Road – which stretches to Madina), and Makkah Road. The part to be opened will be used to transport pilgrims from the Pilgrims’ City at Jeddah airport to Makkah.
Briman Bridge on Al-Haramain road was removed to connect the new road to Al-Hijra road. Jeddah highway (which stretches to Makkah highway, so those heading for Makkah have to use it) is often congested at peak times.
Only 8 kilometers are remaining for the project to be completed, said project director engineer Maher Habash. Lanes will be 35 meters wide, in addition to 12-meter-wide service lanes.
Although the project is finished, many cars are using it in the morning: Commuters and fuel tankers who provide fuel to gas stations. “We had to fix some locations of the project after they were damaged by heavy tankers,” said Habash. “Currently nine supervisors and six engineers, in addition to surveyors, are working on the project to guarantee an execution that is compliant to standards and specifications.”
Haj companies will be able to transport pilgrims from Jeddah airport to Makkah and Madina via the new road that is shorter and free of small cars.
New Makkah-Jeddah highway to be partly opened before Haj
