Features

New safety regulations and high traffic volumes require new tunnel construction all across Europe. Mike Woof reports Anew highway tunnel now being built in Austria will boost traffic volumes and safety standards on a key European route. The existing Pfänder Tunnel lies close to Austria's borders with Germany and Switzerland and carries a heavy traffic volume, so a new parallel tunnel is under construction to help spread this load, increasing capacity as well as safety. Stringent tunnel safety standards have

Roads Australia is encouraging its members to get behind TravelSmart, the government-led campaign to promote sustainable transport alternatives and reduce our reliance on private cars. A number of TravelSmart initiatives and programmes were highlighted at a recent meeting of RA's Congestion Chapter. It was stressed at the meeting that Roads Australia members could set an example for the community by getting its organisations more involved in the programme.

Not long after the recent completion of the successful EastLink project (a 39km motorway providing a vital connection for 1.5 million people in Melbourne, Australia) the Victorian Government has started work on another missing link in Melbourne's freeway network further south with the construction of Peninsula Link. Peninsula Link is a key project in the Victorian Government's AUD$38 billion (US$32 billion) Victorian Transport Plan. With a AUD$750 million (US$630 million) price tag, the project is expected

What can contractors gain from a sustainability strategy and why is it now a vital business imperative? Abigroup, one of Australia's leading and most diverse national contractors, has developed a sustainability strategy suited to its industry, workforce and business. World Highways discusses this and other issues with Sarah Marshall, Abigroup's national environment and sustainability manager. In the past a responsible business was viewed as one that performed strongly within legal boundaries to maximise pro

German company WEIRO has helped to introduce new microsurfacing technology to Estonia to upgrade its roads Estonia's rapidly growing road network requires modern and cost effective road surface rehabilitation technologies. As a result of technological and economical evaluations of the Estonian road network, it has been stated that repairs and upgrading of the existing network will remain the first priority, especially the repair of ruts, which represent a major problem in Estonia. The aim of a trial run of

In Brazil, concrete pavers from Wirtgen are being used to improve sections of the BR-101 highway as well as to construct concrete safety barriers. The use of these machines is of note as it is the first time concrete paving has been used on a federal road in Brazil. The 1st Army Engineering Division of the Brazilian Army is carrying out three of the eight North Eastern sections, as the construction work had to be speeded up project because the road is deemed crucial to the country's economy. Two Wirtgen SP8

The latest technology continues to improve the quality of concrete paving while contractors are also benefiting from more adaptable equipment - Mike Woof reports For many concrete paving applications, versatility is required rather than a high production rate. Leading paver manufacturers such as GOMACO, Power Curbers, Terex and Wirtgen all offer high mobility machines that can be adjusted to cope with an array of tasks. For a contractor, the advantage of these smaller pavers is that they can be configured q

The latest compaction technology offers users the benefits of more accurate performance by combining heat detection and compaction metering with GPS In Europe several leading manufacturers now offer more accurate compaction technology, with Ammann, BOMAG, Dynapac and Hamm all having developed advanced control packages. The technologies vary widely but the advantages are broadly similar, with smart compaction allowing the user a greater degree of control over the compaction process and delivering major reduc

The novel EZ Dig Pro system offers real-time depth control for excavators and backhoe loaders. This package is said to provide precise grade control for digging a fixed depth or a slope and it boosts safety as there is no need for anyone going into the excavation to check depth. Applications include use in trenching and drainage ditches along roadways, as well as footings and foundation depths and cut-and-cover applications for a fixed depth for utilities.