Highway & Network Management

Chilean capital Santiago looks set for traffic gridlock unless major steps are taken. Research predicts that the city will suffer traffic chaos by 2030 due to a rapid expansion in vehicle numbers. Vehicles are being sold at a rate of over 900/day and by 2030, congestion is forecast to reach levels similar to those seen in Latin American cities such as Mexico City, Caracas and Sao Paulo, all of which are notorious for their frequent traffic jams. Currently, there are over 1.3 million vehicles traversing Sant

The UK’s motorists are facing increased congestion and longer delays due to a steady increase in vehicle numbers combined with reduced spending on transport infrastructure. A report by the RAC Foundation warns that there will be 4,000,000 more cars on the UK’s roads in the next 25 years, while the UK’s Government has not explained what plans it has to cope with the projected increase in traffic. The report predicts a 43% rise in traffic volume by 2035, with the biggest increase in the East Midlands. The fou

The UK’s Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Foundation charity has said that the country’s motorists will face road user charging in the future to avoid traffic gridlock. According to director Professor Stephen Glaister, population growth and further economic gains will result in traffic volumes expanding 33% by 2025. With UK government spending on roads being cut, the charity warns that a new strategy will have to be found.

The city of Coventry in central England is to benefit from over £64 million (€77.25 million) to replace the majority of its street lighting. Regional and Local Transport Minister, Norman Baker said: “This is very good news for Coventry. Better lighting means a reduction in the fear of crime, less light pollution and a safer, more user-friendly night time environment for everyone.” Coventry City Council, which is promoting the project, has signed individual PFI contracts with Balfour Beatty.

Another stage has been reached in the informal negotiations between the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council to revise the Eurovignette Directive. The Directive involves charging heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures, and an informal compromise has to be endorsed by the European Parliament and Council.

In a pilot study being carried out by the Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM) at Stockholm University, four taxis have been equipped to measure pollution and particulate matter. Instruments fitted to the roof of the taxis undertakes measurements which are then cross referenced with the cars' GPS as they travel around Sweden's capital.

The Illinois Tollway is seeking firms to provide design, management and other technical services for 22 new contracts associated with the 15-year, US$12 billion capital programme Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.The contracts will provide for more than $200 million in services over the next five years for new projects including the Elgin O'Hare West Bypass, the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) rebuild and widening and the Tri-State Tollway (I-294)/I-57 Interchange."In August, the Il

An alliance of companies has come together to realise major infrastructure projects in Latvia including its biggest bridge. Patrick Smith reports. Riga, the Latvian capital, has the finest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe and its centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city of some 750,000 people (the country's total population is 2.2 million) is bounded to the south by Lithuania and to the north by Estonia, and is the second largest in Baltic States. To the east is Russia and Belarus.