News

At least 38 people have died in a coach crash on a flyover in southern Italy – the worst road accident in the country for many years. The coach, reportedly carrying around 50 people, including children, hit several vehicles before smashing through a barrier and toppling 30m down a steep slope near the town of Avellino, in the Campania region. At least a further 10 people are reported to have been injured, some of them seriously, in the crash on the evening of Sunday 28 July 2013. The coach occupants were sa

Caterpillar is now releasing a new guide to asphalt compaction. This publication offers readers a comprehensive guide to asphalt compaction processes, discussing basic factors and forces involved. The publication covers in detail key points such as methods and specification, rolling patterns and joint compaction. A more general section covers compaction issues, while there is also a glossary. A wide range of examples is given and the publication is also illustrated with high quality images and diagrams to b

Work on a major interchange in the Ghanaian city of Kumasi is close to completion. This is reputed to be the biggest interchange in West Africa and is located at Sofoline, forming part of a project to rebuild Sunyani Road which runs through Kumasi. This interchange has been partially opened and has already helped to cut congestion in the city although the project has suffered a series of delays. Several portions of work on the interchange still remain to be carried out and include lighting and signage. This

A new study by the French motorway company association, ASFA, reveals improved safety during 2012. The data shows that the number of people killed on French motorways was 26% lower for 2012 than for 2011. Of the fatal accidents that did occur, nearly 40% were due to driver inattention. Meanwhile driver fatigue was another major issue causing one third of fatal accidents. Alcohol or drug use was responsible for 20% of fatalities on French motorways. Speeding was attributed to 15.7% of fatalities on French mo

Work in Nigeria will start on upgrading the Keffi-Lafia road in Nigeria to a dual carriageway status along its route. The US$1.8 billion project will run through Benue State capital Makurdi to Enugu, the capital of Enugu State and will be constructed by Chinese contractors. The route is of major importance to Nigeria and carries a heavy traffic volume at present. Constructing the dual carriageway will pose challenges given the topography at various sections of the route. Also in Nigeria, Chinese funding wil

Volvo CE reports that its operating margin has recovered in the second quarter of 2013, although the firm has been hit by weaker sales, especially in the mining industry. This situation reflects the continued slowdown in the size of the total market for construction equipment and the company’s sales were down 19% during the period. However the firm said that behind the headline figures there were underlying positives, not least a good order intake and improving trends in China, Europe and the Middle East, a

A novel online training platform has been developed for the road sector by the Spanish Road Association (AEC). This move follows research suggesting a demand for online training tools in the road infrastructure sector. The www.aecarreteraformacion.com website is said to have an extensive array of training tools suitable for road professionals in Spain as well as in Latin America. The AEC platform has been developed with an international focus, and is intended to meet the demands of road technicians and mana