News

A crucial agreement has been signed that will pave the way for greater international cooperation on engineering projects. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the International engineering federation FIDIC (the International Federation of Consulting Engineers) and the China Engineering and Consulting Association (CECA). The aim of this is to improve collaboration between international and Chinese businesses across a number of key areas. The move will also help to improve the competenc

Plans are being considered by the Russian Government for the new Meridian Highway project, intended to connect Europe with Western China.

The Malaysian Government is working on its proposed strategy of taking over 15 highway links in the country. This move is intended to help boost transport efficiency and reduce journey times for drivers. Should the arrangement go ahead as planned, the aim is to eliminate tolling on the routes by 2038. The highways that the Malaysian Government hopes to acquire are currently owned by Gamuda, IJM Corp, Plus Malaysia and Projeck Lintasan Holdings. These include the North South Expressway, one of Malaysia’s key

The necessary financing package for Serbia’s key highway project is now being secured. The Belgrade to Sarajevo highway is already under construction, with 60km of the link having been built so far. The existing section of the highway connects Obrenovac with Ljig, while work on the southern stretch of the route is due to commence shortly. Serbia has taken loans worth €3 billion for its share of the project, with the Turkish Government and various Turkish banks being directly involved in supporting the works

New road projects are being planned in Poland, with a further 11 now having gained official approval. Worth some €185.6 million, the projects include the construction of a new ring road around the town of Walcz in the north west of the country. Work on this ring road is expected to commence in 2023 and take until 2025 to complete. Another ring road project being planned is for the resort town of Augustow, in the north east of the country, which should also be completed in 2025.

Kuwait is boosting its spending on infrastructure development works in the Al-Mutlaa area.

A new 18km motorway link is being planned in Thailand that will cost an estimated US$1.2 billion. The highway will be an extension of the existing Don Muang Tollway. This will provide an improved connection between the existing M5 and M6 motorways as well as Nakhon Ratchasima, lying to the north east of capital Bangkok. The tender process for this 18km tollway extension project is expected in 2021, with two contracts being offered. The project is likely to be handled under the PPP model, with actual constru

Chile is planning a series of road improvements that will help boost connectivity. An additional budget of US$150 million has been secured by Chile’s Ministry of Public Works (MOP), in addition to the $1.4 billion already budgeted for road works. Some $2.8 billion worth of road projects are being opened for tender by MOP. These include the Carretera de la Fruta highway and the Ruta Los Vilos-La Serena route.

Construction work is starting on Malaysia’s massive Penang Roads and Tunnels project.

A massive bridge project is being planned for Indonesia that will play a key role in the country’s development of its new capital. Building the 7.35km Balikpapan-North Penajam Paser bridge will provide a connection to Penajam. Constructing the bridge is expected to cost over US$1.02 billion, with work expected to start in 2020. The bridge will be tolled. Serious issues are impacting on Jakarta, with the city suffering heavily from pollution and congestion, as well as its land area sinking. This combination

The west African country of Ghana has commissioned a traffic management centre to alleviate chronic congestion and drastically reduce vehicle pollution in the capital Accra. Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s president, welcomed the opening of the centre, saying the increase in traffic “coupled with rapidly increasing urban population is putting a lot of pressure on facilities in our cities, especially on our road infrastructure and also sapping productivity”. The centre, which local media claim is the first of

The UK is proposing to share road network data, including roadworks, with makers of mobile apps to warn drivers of potential congestion months in advance. The information for navigational apps powered by artificial intelligence would warn of planned changes to the road network, including work zone arrangements, which would enhance worker safety. Tech firms could soon get access to the necessary data thanks to a UK government review of legislation around Traffic Regulation Orders. The orders behind res

Financing has been secured that will help pay for the 110km ring road around Tanzania’s official capital, Dodoma.