(MENAFN) The Saudi Arabian Minister of Transport said that he has signed several contracts worth more than $470 million with Saudi Arabian companies for 15 road projects in the Kingdom, Arab News reported. The projects include construction of two-lane highways, agricultural roads and service access lanes to improve road safety, help farmers in the movement of their produce to the market, and interconnect highways with the interior through the network of feeder roads. The minister went on to say that the expenditure will be met from this year's budget. The projects will be implemented within a time frame ranging from two to three years. When completed, they will strengthen the road network in the Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, Hail, Jizan, Qassim, Al Jouf, Arras, Tabuk and the Eastern Province.