News

New road and bridge links are being opened to drivers in Vietnam, boosting connectivity and transport for the country. The 60km Ha Long-Van Don expressway in Quang Ninh is now open to traffic, having cost around US$514.4 million to construct. The Ha Long-Van Don expressway links the Ha Long - Hai Phong - Hanoi expressway with Van Don Airport and was built by the BOT Bien Cuong Joint Stock Company. And the 47km road stretch connecting the Hanoi-Haiphong and Cau Gie-Ninh Binh expressways is also now open to

Construction work for the Beitbridge to Victoria Falls road upgrade project is expected to start shortly.

Russia is spending heavily on improving roads in Siberia’s Novosibirsk Region during 2019. Federal funding worth US$75 million will be used to pay for work in the Novosibirsk Region. The work includes carrying on with work for the Eastern Bypass around Novosibirsk and rebuilding a stretch of the R-254 Irtysh Federal Highway in Kochenevo District, lying to the west of Novosibirsk. Phase I of the Eastern Bypass is 14km long and should be complete in 2021. Work on Phase II of the Eastern Bypass is due to comme

The investigation into the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in the Italian city of Genoa is continuing. The failure of the bridge in August 2018 resulted in 43 fatalities. A central section of the structure collapsed and most of the deaths were of those crossing in vehicles at the time, although the deaths also included those hit by falling debris underneath. A number of engineers and managers with responsibilities relating to the bridge are now being investigated directly. The investigators are also looking

Mexico is planning a series of road upgrade and improvement works across is Federal Road network. However, only roads that are not tolled will be covered by this programme, which has a budget of US$1.03 billion. Around 8,500km of the 40,500km network has been identified as being in need of improvement works. The Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) is prioritising the road sections most in need of improvements to be tackled first and is planning the tender process.

Colombia’s 4G road infrastructure development programme is on track. The financing for 70% of this programme of works is now being secured. Worth some US$15.5 billion in all, the 4G programme is the fourth stage in the country’s plan to redevelop its transport infrastructure. Work commenced on the 4G programme in 2016 and it was originally due for completion in 2021. However, delays have crept into the programme due in part to issues surrounding the Brazilian contractor Odebrecht, which was handling some of

Construction is commencing on a key contract for Colombian road firm Nueva Via al Mar (Covimar). The firm will handle the 32km Mulalo-Loboguerrero fourth generation (4G) road project. The new route will improve transport of heavy goods between Buenaventura and Cali. Covimar has the concession for the link until 2040. The project is costing US$527.6 million but faces a number of environmental challenges as it passes through a protected area as well as over a number of waterways.

Delays are afflicting work on the Zaragoza-Caucasia road upgrade project in Colombia. The work was originally due for completion in December 2018 but is now being finished in the second quarter of 2019. Vandalism to 21 construction machines on the project are the prime cause for the delay. New security measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence. The project involves resurfacing the road stretch as well as building two new intersections and a bypass loop. The work forms part of the US$139 millio

Two major road tenders are opening for bids in Santa Catarina in Brazil during 2019. These will be for the BR-101/SC highway and BR-470/SC highway. The latter will involve a connection to an airport and is costing US$143 million to upgrade and widen the existing route.

The agreement between Ghana and China over a road construction project has been settled. The deal will see Ghana effectively trading bauxite from a mining operation with a Chinese firm, which will build road links in the West African nation. The deal is called the Sinohydro Bauxite Barter Arrangement and has been set up with Ghana’s Government. Ghana will supply the firm with around 5% of its refined bauxite production under the agreement. Construction work is commencing on the first stage of the project,

Bolivia will introduce tough new legislation aimed at boosting road safety.

Road safety education is severely lacking in much of Europe. That is the finding of research by the European Transport Safety Commission (ETSC). According to this new report, there are vast differences in the amount of road safety education given to children across Europe, particularly at secondary school level. The research shows that road safety education is provided to children in primary education all over Europe. However, it is not given to youngsters in secondary education in 20% of the 36 European s

Reducing road noise is the target of a new programme of works from Highways England. The plans call for noise attenuation systems to be installed on many busy road links in England. This forms part of a wider plan of environmental works intended to lessen the impact of the road network, with a set budget of €350 million. Around 1,150 locations will benefit from the works, which will take until 2020 to be completed. Noise attenuating barriers will be installed on many key road links. Meanwhile new surfaces w