News

Work on the eastern section of Sao Paulo's Mario Covas orbital highway is being given the official go-ahead. Approval has been given by Sao Paulo's state environmental agency Consema for the 44.5km extension of the highway.

Colombian city Cali is spending a healthy US$300 million on major road infrastructure projects. These are scheduled to commence in the second half of 2010.

Some US$550 million is being spent on the Oruro-Cochabamba-Colomi and Montero-Villa Tunari-Cristal Mayu highways in Bolivia.

Three key highway upgrade projects are planned in Panama. Improvement work on the Divisa-Las Tablas road is being split into two sections while the third is for upgrades to the David-Boquete road and the total value of these three contracts has been estimated at US$283 million.

The recent Intertraffic road traffic technology exhibition in Amsterdam reached record proportions for its 20th edition.

A new plan has been put forward by Vietnam's Ministry of Investment and Planning for PPP infrastructure projects including highways.

Panama's Government is giving its approval for changes to the contract for the second stage of the Madden-Colon highway.

In Tajikistan a contract has now been awarded for the new Dushanbe - Khujand - Chanak highway.

The US State of Ohio is planning an increase in spending on road construction for 2010. The authorities intend to increase spending by 30% over previous years to some US$2 billion.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) says that to tackle the funding gap for US highways, a different approach is required.

The Chinook Roads consortium has the design, build, finance, construct and operate contract for Calgary's new Southeast Stoney Trail project. This 258km link will form part of the fast-growing Canadian city's ring road and is being developed under a PPP model.

Three Slovenian contractors, Primorje, Vegrad and GPG, are well placed to win key construction tenders in Libya. The contracts are worth a total of ?300 million and include a highway project as well as general construction work.

Plans are now in hand for Australia's US$223 million (A$240 million) project to upgrade Brisbane's Gateway Motorway. The work includes widening the Gateway Motorway from four to six lanes.