News

IL&FS Transportation Networks (ITNL) has formed a tie-up with Japanese company East Nippon Expressway Company (East Nippon) to jointly undertake highway projects in India through public private partnerships (PPP). Under the tie-up, the partners aim to leverage technology as well as financial assistance from Japan besides carrying out technical and pre-feasibility studies and other related works on potential road projects. ITNL is a subsidiary of infrastructure developer IL&FS.

A new team has been established by the US-based Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) to ensure telematics technologies being offered by different firms will be compatible. The telematics task force is providing the AEM members with a comprehensive industry response to end-user requests for a standard machine data interface. The team is working to reach a consensus on an industry telematics data standard that will enable equipment manufacturers to support the needs of contractors, rental houses and d

A new team has been established by the US-based Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) to ensure telematics technologies being offered by different firms will be compatible. The telematics task force is providing the AEM members with a comprehensive industry response to end-user requests for a standard machine data interface. The team is working to reach a consensus on an industry telematics data standard that will enable equipment manufacturers to support the needs of contractors, rental houses and d

Plans are in hand in New Zealand for a massive programme of infrastructure works around the country’s largest city, Auckland. The New Zealand Government intends to invest some US$7.8 billion (NZ$10 billion), which will be spent on upgrading existing highway links and building the second Auckland Harbour Bridge. The existing Auckland Harbour Bridge sees heavy traffic flows at peak periods in particular and the new structure is necessary to reduce congestion and cut journey times. The programme of infrastruct

Bidding is strong for the contract to build and operate a key stretch of highway in Mexico in a project expected to cost some US$179 million. The Siglo XXI highway will be constructed in Morelos State in Mexico's Morelos state. The deal is for a 30 year concession for the 62km section of highway, which will connect Jantetelco with El Higuerón. The Spanish contractor Acciona is one of several firms preparing its bid for the project and the company is also interested in other Mexican infrastructure works, wit

The expertise of Nitrex Explosives Engineering were utilised recently for this eye-catching controlled explosion bringing down the Viadotto Ponte Autostrade Pecorone di Lauria (Lauria Junction viaduct) in Lauria, Potenza, southern Italy. Ice and salt had degraded the viaduct, necessitating a rebuild. A new viaduct will better withstand the snowy mountain climate of the Potenza region.

Dutch Infrastructure and Environment Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen has promised to invest US$387.47 million (€295mn) in the new Rotterdamsebaan road between the Ypenburg junction and The Hague. The investment in the project, which has a total value of some $737.04 million (€565mn), is $91.31 million (€70mn) higher than Schultz van Haegen's predecessor promised in 2008. The council of The Hague and the urban region Haaglanden are pay for the rest of the project. The works, which includes a 2km long tu

Malaysia-based highway operator Projek Lintasan Kota (Prolintas) plans to launch two highway projects in 12 months' time following a US$2.51 billion (MYR 8bn) investment. The highways in the Klang Valley are the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (Suke) and the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (Dash).

Spanish construction firm OHL has secured its first highway works contract in the US state of Texas. The US$142 million contract will see the company renew a 3.2km section of the US-290, which runs through the Lone Star state. Building new bridges, highway resurfacing and drainage improvements are key features of the contract. The work is part of the widening programme for the US-290. The state of Texas has plans to carry out infrastructure projects worth US$5 billion by the end of 2014.

A new report suggests that Europe could improve economic growth and create much-needed jobs by developing technological innovations for transportation. The report is entitled Fuelling Europe’s Future: How auto innovation leads to EU jobs. This study was produced by a consortium of transport sector stakeholders. It suggests that innovation in the automotive sector would boost growth prospects and create anything from 500,000-1,100,000 additional jobs between now and 2030. This innovation could also help redu

London’s Metropolitan Police Service is using the latest desktop mapping software to collate essential data about road traffic collisions. The advanced Geographical Information System (GIS) from GGP Systems in being used to identify and map the exact location of incidents where a personal injury has occurred and prepare detailed reports for the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL). This can be used to highlight problem areas, with plans for improving infrastructure then being drawn