Construction to begin on $4bn Saudi-Bahrain causeway in 2021

Construction on the billion-dollar King Hamad Causeway that will connect Bahrain to Saudi Arabia will start in 2021, according to media reports. 

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Bahrain, Abdullah Al-Sheikh, told Saudi-based broadcaster Al Arabiya that a tender for construction of the bridge would be issued within the next six months.

Work on the bridge that will cross the Arabian Gulf will start in mid-2021 and take approximately three years to complete, Al-Sheikh revealed in an update reported by Construction Week's sister title, Arabian Business.

The causeway, estimated to cost between $3bn (BHD1.1bn; SAR11.2bn) and $4bn (BHD1.5bn; SAR15bn), will include a railway line for the GCC’s network, cargo trains, and vehicle lanes.

Running parallel to the King Fahd causeway, which continues to face traffic congestion challenges, the new route will provide another transport link between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Both countries expect the network to support bilateral trade in goods and services.