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The Nepalese government is inviting overseas firms to submit expressions of interest in taking part in the Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track Project. The built-operate-transfer-based project will cost over US$ 906.41million (NPR 80bn). The expressway will span across 76kms. As much as 10% investment on the project's total cost can be invested by Nepali firms via joint venture or a consortium with overseas companies.

In what could help fuel widespread adoption of natural gas-powered (NG) vehicles in the US and globally, GE researchers, in partnership with Chart Industries and scientists at the University of Missouri, have been awarded a programme through Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) to develop an affordable at-home refuelling station that would meet ARPA-E’s target of $500 per station and reduce re-fuelling times from 5-8 hours to less than 1 hour.

According to a new report from ABI Research, as the global population hurtles past the seven billion barrier, more and more people are living in cities than ever before. This is especially true of developing countries which account for 20 of the world’s 27 megacities. With above average levels of population and economic growth in these regions, traffic congestion has quickly ensued, which is detrimental to GDP, the environment, as well as health and safety. The new ABI Research report predicts that companie

The Austrian group Strabag has been awarded a two-year contract worth €34.6mn for the modernisation of a 48km stretch of the national road M2 in the Republic of Moldova. The upgrade route runs between Ghindesti and Drochia.

PERI has used its cantilever-construction compatable VARIOKIT for the first time in Poland. The engineering build kit was used to build a new 600m long motorway bridge near the southeastern city of Tarnów. Deploying VARIOKIT allowed the jobsite team to achieve 4-5 day cycles for the bridge's concrete sections. It was also said to ensure that the very small tolerances needed for the variable bridge cross-sections could be comfortably met. Twelve pairs of piers support the two carriageways of the new motorw

Loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the EU will finance highway work in Georgia. The funds will be used to pay for the construction of the high-speed motor road running from West – East across Georgia. The EIB will give a long-term preferential credit worth €170 million, while the EU will provide a €20 million grant. As part of the project, a four lane highway measuring 52km will be built from Samtrediya – Grigoleti, while the 16km section Grigoleti - Kobuleti stretch will be repaired.

Marrakech to host milestone IRF initiative highlighting road infrastructure project challenges and opportunities in the Euromed space. IRF will be joining with the Moroccan motorway authority (Autoroutes du Maroc) and the national road association (Association marocaine des routes – AMR) to host a landmark IRF Regional Conference focusing on the North Africa and Mediterranean region.

Los Angeles is the world’s most congested city, according to new research based on the Tomtom Congestion Index. The city was found to have a congestion level of 33% in the first quarter of 2012. In the Index’s top ten city table, Vancouver in Canada came in second with a 30% congestion level, followed by Miami at 26%. Seattle, San Francisco and Tampa reported congestion levels of 25% each, while Washington and Houston came in seventh and eighth place with congestion levels of 24% and 23% respectively.

In La Paz, Bolivia, work is underway to create a new four-lane highway between Oruro to the capital La Paz. The 210km stretch of road, high up in the Andes, is of great political importance with President Evo Morales determined to see completion before the next elections in 18 months’ time.

Major road projects in Scotland will improve the country’s transport connections. Plans are now in hand to fast-track the project to convert the A9 to dual carriageway status along its entire length. The road is a major transport artery to the north of Scotland, connecting the Central Belt in the south with the northern city of Inverness, providing the main gateway to the north of the country. The plans call for the upgrading of the A9 to dual carriageway status between Perth and Inverness. Work on the 5km

Recent increases in road fatalities should be a wake-up call for the UK Government to step up and provide stronger leadership on road safety, say members of parliament in a report examining the Government's Strategic Framework for Road Safety.

Plans are in hand in Finland’s second largest city Tampere for a new road tunnel to boost transport connections. An agreement has been made between a consortium headed by contractor Lemminkäinen, the City of Tampere and Finnish Transport Agency. The alliance agreement is for the first stage of the VT12 Tampere tunnel project, which is expcted to cost in the region of €185 million. The consortium comprises Lemminkäinen, A-Insinöörit Suunnittelu and Saanio & Riekkola. The project will be divided into developm