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A new bridge project is planned for Paraguay by the country’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC). The bridge will span the Paraguay River and connect Asuncion with Chacoí and the project is now expected to cost US$296 million. The bridge was originally expected to be somewhat less costly to construct. But the work is being carried out under the turnkey model, which is causing some controversy as it is thought to be a key factor in increasing the final pricetag. The new bridge will improve tr

Work is now underway on a major road improvement project in central Nepal. The Chinese contractor, China Construction Seventh Engineering Division (CSSED), is carrying out the upgrade of the East-West Highway route linking Narayagadh and Butwal. The 131km road improvement project is worth US$142.9 million and is expected to be ready by the end of 2022. The project will boost capacity and safety for drivers on the route by widening the road so that it has two lanes in either direction, rather than just one l

Funding from China in the shape of a loan will help pay for a major expressway project in Sri Lanka.

Construction work is well underway for Colombia’s Autopista Mar 1 motorway project. The route is due for completion in 2022, connecting the country’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts through Medellin. The project includes construction of the Tunel de Occidente. A finance package worth US$713 million in the shape of loans from eight banks is helping fund the project. Work is also ongoing for the Conexio Norte routelinking Remedios with Caucasia. This project should be complete by 2021. Meanwhile the Via del Nu

Construction is now underway on the expressway that will connect Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, with the country’s premier port, Sihanoukville. The expressway will stretch some 190km when complete and the project is expected to cost US$2 billion. The work is being carried out by the Chinese contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). The route is being built under the build-operate-transfer model and should take four years to complete.

The French road roller market has increased for the past three years and rose 37% in 2018. Growth was also strong in 2016 with +31% and then +22% in 2017. The market has exceeded 2,000 units. Sales were supported by distribution networks, but the road roller market is also a rental market. Renters were very active in 2018. Sales levels in general for 2018 in the road construction equipment industry were never higher, according to CISMA the French trade body for construction, infrastructure, the steel

A new model is being developed for Malaysia’s landmark Pan Borneo Highway project. The US$7 billion project was originally intended to be carried out under the project delivery partner (PDP) model. However the project is now to be carried out under the turnkey contractor model, managed by the Ministry of Works. This revised plan is expected to reduce construction time. The Pan Borneo Highway is a key project for Malaysia and will help improve transport in Sarawak State and Sabah State. The Pan Borneo highwa

Plans are moving ahead in Indonesia for the construction of the Kuala Tanjung toll road project. Financing has been secured for an 80km stretch of the route. This stretch will run from Terbanggi Besar, through Pematang Panggang to Kayu Agung and will cost around US$552.3 million to build. The project for the Kuala Tanjung toll road includes a number of complext and costly elevated sections, between: Krian-Legundi, Bunder and Manyar (KLBM); Jakarta and Cikampek II Elevated; Batang and Semarang; Jakarta and C

China’s Hebei Province is planning a series of transport infrastructure improvements during 2019. Highway construction will be amongst the works being prioritised under the plan, which has a budget of over US$8 billion. In all, 1,172km of highway will be built in the province under the programme of works. During 2019, work will commence on six new highway stretches with a total length of 332km. A 217km stretch of highway under construction already will be opened to traffic in 2019, while work is continuing

China’s Hebei Province is planning a series of transport infrastructure improvements during 2019. Highway construction will be amongst the works being prioritised under the plan, which has a budget of over US$8 billion. In all, 1,172km of highway will be built in the province under the programme of works. During 2019, work will commence on six new highway stretches with a total length of 332km. A 217km stretch of highway under construction already will be opened to traffic in 2019, while work is continuing

Progress remains slow for the construction of the highway connecting Cameroon’s two largest cities, Douala and Yaoundé. The two cities are some 202km apart and the new route is intended to improve transport between Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, and its key commercial city and port, Douala. The existing National Road No3 linking the two cities currently suffers from heavy congestion and the new route will help alleviate the problem and cut journey times, boosting both capacity and safety. Around 30km of the

A programme of road repairs is due to commence in Russia’s capital, Moscow. A budget of US$ 615.5 million has been set for the works, which will be implemented throughout 2019. The majority of the funding is from the Moscow region. The plan calls for 2,400km of roads to be repaired, with an additional 20km of new links to be built. The plan has been set out by the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure for the Moscow Region.