Kuwait said nearly 84 per cent of the work on its ambitious $3-billion Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah Causeway (also known as Al Sabiya bridge) has been completed and the 36-km-long engineering marvel will be ready by the end of 2018, said a report.

Sheikh Jaber Causeway, which will link Kuwait City with Al Sabiya, is one of the country’s biggest projects and a giant stride in its development strategy, reported state news agency Kuna, citing Minister of Public Works Abdulrahman Al Mutawaa.

It shortens the distance between the capital and the town on the other side of the bay, from 104 km to 36 km, said Al Mutawaa.

Once ready, motorists will be able to cross the distance in 30 minutes, instead of the 90 minutes on the long land route, stated the Kuna report, citing the minister.

On its other ongoing infrastructure projects, Al Mutawaa said work was progressing well on the Jamal Abdulnasser Road with nearly 86 per cent of the project getting ready and Al Jahraa Road work nearing 94 per cent completion, it added.

Meanwhile, Kuwait intends to complete three major airport projects, being built at a total investment of KD1.45 billion ($4.79 billion), over the next three years, said a report.

The largest of the three developments is the KD1.31-billion ($4.33 billion) Kuwait International Airport, which is being built by Turkish Limak Construction company, reported the Arab Times.

Work on the KD60-million ($198.5 million) support airport (T4) is set to start this year along with the Al Jazeera passenger terminal and will be completed by mid-2018, stated the report, citing sources.The Kuwait International Airport project will, however, be ready by 2020, it added.