News

The National Highway Authority of India is awarding a US$244 million road project to IVRCL Infrastructures and Projects (IVRCL).

Work is now underway on the new DFW Connector near Dallas, in the US state of Texas. This is of note as it is the largest investment of Recovery Act (ARRA) investment in a highway project so far.

Japan's Transport Ministry is working on plans to remove toll charges for passenger cars using 1,626km of the country's expressways. The move is be used as a trial to evaluate benefits to the economy as well as on transportation businesses and traffic congestion.

Work is due to start on the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) in the Philippines in March 2010. The new highway will cut travel time and help boost economic development in and around Luzon.

The Australian Government is on track with its US$37 billion (A$42 billion) stimulus plan, announced in January 2009. The country's Federal Government has approved over 49,000 infrastructure and construction projects in all, including a number of key highway projects.

Plans are in hand for a new bridge to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge at the Port of Long Beach in California. The existing structure is not able to cope with anticipated increases in vehicle traffic volumes and is also too low for new generation of cargo ships to pass underneath.

Mobilmix 2.5 is a container-mounted mixing plant system developed for large construction sites. With an hourly capacity of 110 cubic metres of compacted concrete, the plant’s components are housed in modular containers that can be easily transported and linked together on-site.

Qatar's Public Works Authority is opening the tender process for two key infrastructure projects, with a major focus on highway construction. These tenders include the F-Ring Road project.

L576 and L580 wheeled loaders have been given revised engines with clean emissions technology and tweaked outputs. It means the L576 delivers 205kW for its 10.5 litre six-cylinder engine, which is equipped with common rail fuel injection, DOC and DPF.

Thailand is working on plans for the southern landbridge project. This huge project has faced delays due in part to finance issues as it is expected to cost some US$21.1 billion.

Taiwan has seen an improvement in its road safety standards with fatalities dropping to 2,016 in 2009. This compares favourably with the 2,150 fatalities on the nation's roads in 2008.

Laos is working on a five-year development plan to provide new international connections through new highways and rail links to its neighbours.

Ecuador is receiving a loan worth US$255 million from the Andean Development Corporation (CAF) for infrastructure works. The country has a long list of road projects to invest in, as well as airport works in Santa Rosa, Lago Agrio and Tena.