Finance & Funding

The authorities in Tasmania are planning a major programme of road rebuilding work that will boost transport links. Worth some US$684.4 million (A$733 million) the budget includes the $184 million (A$197 million) required to carry out the planned upgrade to the Midland Highway. A further $3 million (A$3.2 million) will be used to establish an independent body called Infrastructure Tasmania that will provide expert advice on the infrastructure needs of the state such as ports and major roads.

Funding has been found to finance India’s infrastructure investment into National Highway 1 in Jammu & Kashmir. A deal by ICICI Bank and Srinagar Sonmarg Tunnelway is providing the necessary loans for the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road and tunnel link. The project involves building a 6km road and 6.5km tunnel and the concession deal also involves maintenance and operation of the link. Srinagar Sonmarg Tunnelway, is a 49:51 joint venture combined of IL&FS Transportation Networks and Soma Enterprises.

A major programme of infrastructure investment in Mexico is seeing the country developing 46 highway projects that are due for completion in 2018. The country’s transport and communications ministry (SCT) says that 28 of the highway projects are under construction at present, while eight were completed recently and work on a further seven will commence before the end of 2014. This programme of works forms part of the National Infrastructure Plan (PNI). In all, the programme for the 46 highways is worth arou

Balfour Beatty is selling its Parsons Brinckerhoff business to WSP Global for US$1.3525 billion (£820 million). Part of the agreement is that $110 million (£67 million) being retained within Parsons Brinckerhoff. With the acquisition of Parsons Brinckerhoff, WSP becomes one of the world’s largest professional services firms. The deal increases WSP’s presence across global emerging markets in Asia and Australasia as well as providing opportunities in the UK market, where Parsons Brinckerhoff is well-establis

The Croatian Government is prioritising infrastructure spending in a bid to improve transport connections throughout the whole country.

A new road tolling plan will help cut congestion in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has a US$1.8 billion project proposed to expand toll lanes for sections of Interstates I-25 and I-70. The project will address sections of the east segment of I-25 and to a stretch of I-70 as this is seen as the best way to tackle congestion in this area of the network. The plan would cover the I-70 corridor north of downtown Denver. CDOT hopes to borrow the necessary US$1.2 billion funding from th

A major programme of repairs and rebuilding is being carried out on Russian roads in the country’s North-Western Federal District during 2014. In all close to US$144 million is being spent in a programme of works with upgrading 258 separate infrastructure projects. The work is being carried out on 293km of public roads in all, while work is planned on a further 400km of roads during 2015.

Plans are moving ahead in Bangladesh for a series of new elevated expressways that will be constructed in capital Dhaka. Chinese contractor China Railway Construction Corporation and Ital-Thai Development Corporation have signed an agreement that will see the two firms working jointly on the expressway project. A budget of US$172.55 million has been set for the work. The expressways are being elevated so as to minimise risks from flooding and also so as to minimise the amount of land required for their cons

The tender process is opening for new road connections in Poland. Ring roads are planned around the Polish city of Radom as well as the town of Gora Kalwarii while there are plans for a new dual carriageway section of the S8 between Radziejowice and Paszko. In all the work is expected to cost€716.5 million. The tender process has been called by the Polish road administration, GDDKiA. The Radom bypass will be some 25km long while a21km stretch of the S8 will be upgraded to dual carriageway status, with this