News

The Australian government is providingUS$1.39 billion (AUD 1.5 billion) to finance the second phase of Victoria state’s 18km long East West Link road project. According to a statement, the infusion will allow both stages to be built simultaneously. As a result, the project could be completed by 2023. The second stage of the road project will link the Western Ring Road to the eastern section, connecting CityLink and the Eastern Freeway.

According to a TNS Sofres study on driving styles for Axa, the frequency of driving and the kilometres travelled annually by France’s 18 to 25 year olds are higher than the national average. The study, which focuses on 350 young drivers in this demographic in addition to 1,200 other drivers, shows that they underestimate the dangers of using smartphones while driving. The study also showed that 62% of 18 to 25 year olds drive when they are tired.

Drivers of heavy vehicles should be careful where they choose to park - image courtesy of Jane Isaacs

A Serbian daily newspaper has reported that Zezelj road and railway bridge, over the Danube river by the city of Novi Sad, is still in need of repairs, more than 15 years after NATO bombs destroyed it.

The consortium building Nigeria’s key Second Niger River Crossing, close to the city of Onitsha, says that the bridge will be ready for traffic on time, according to the contract requirements. The consortium is headed by German owned contractor Julius Berger Nigeria and the PPP package has been set out as a 25 year concession contract. The project is costing close to US$700 million to construct and includes the bridge itself as well as associated road and rail connections as the structure is being designed

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing financial backing worth €144 million for the new M17/M18 Gort-Tuam motorway project. The M17/M18 Gort to Tuam PPP Scheme is situated in the west of Ireland and will be constructed as a four lane motorway that will replace the existing N17/N18 roads. This new motorway will reduce journey times by around 20 minutes and has an overall cost estimated at €550 million. Construction work will start during this year and this is the second transport PPP to be signed un

The National Highways Authority of India has awarded a US$529.67 million (INR 32 billion) Yedeshi-Aurangabad NH21 four-lane highway project in India to India-based IRB Infrastructure Developers (IRB Infrastructure). With a concession period of 26 years, the project is scheduled for completion in 910 days.

Entries for Spain’s V International Award on Road Innovation ‘Juan Antonio Fernández del Campo’ are being accepted until 19 May 2014. The award contest, organised by the Spanish Road Association Foundation (FAEC), began in 2005 with the aim of contributing to the development of road technology worldwide through investigations that improve innovation in the road sector.

A massive bridge project in China is due to commence shortly. The work involves the construction of a bridge that will be nearly 20km long and the project is expected to cost close to US$672 million in all. The bridge will run from Xiangzhou district and connect through to Zhuhai city. The structure is expected to be ready to carry traffic in May 2017.

Plans are in hand in South Africa for road improvements to a key link between Pongola and eDumbe. The work involves improvements to some 77km of road in all and is expected to cost in the region of US$113 million.