News

In Albania the government is giving its approval for an €80 million (US$104.4 million) loan being provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The project is for the Fier bypass, which forms part of the Tirana-Vlora highway. The project has faced a series of delays since work commenced a number of years ago. However this new funding will help ensure the work is completed

Just two days after announcing that it had been awarded two AutoPass tolling contracts, valued at over US$5 million, by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Q-Free yesterday announced that the company has won a frame agreement for deliveries of tolling tags (OBUs) from the Spanish operator, Abertis. The value of the frame agreement is US$5.2 million, with a guaranteed volume of US$2.15 million. Putting this key business win into context, Øyvind Isaksen, Q-Free CEO explained it is very important for

A financial package worth US$793 million is being provided by Chinese firm CDB Leasing for a highway project expansion programme in China’s Henan province. Henan currently has 5,196km of highways in use. The plan is to expand the network to more than 6,600km in 2015.

In Indonesia Jasa Marga is planning to build a 27km toll road project, which links Padang, West Sumatra's provincial capital with Sicincin district in 2012. Negotiations are underway between a number of contractors and the toll-road operator for the Padang toll road work. Cost savings on the cement supply operation should help reduce overall costs of the project. An investment of US$142 million is required for the toll road project.

Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Metro) working with prime contractor TransCore has commissioned the first of five reversible high occupancy toll (HOT) lane corridors. One of the most substantial undertakings of its kind to date in the United States, Metro’s conversion of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to HOT lanes will increase utilisation of the HOV system and subsequently relieve congestion in the general purpose freeway lanes. When completed, the programme will span 135k

Repair work is now planned on the first section of the St Petersburg ring road. The work will be carried out from Gorskaya to Primorskoe in 2013. Design work is underway at present. The 24km road will be widened to six lanes and the road structure will be revamped. The repair will end in 2015 and will cost some US$373 million. Work on the interchange in Bronka will commence in 2013 as well.

Volvo Construction Equipment has started its own Russian revolution by beginning work on its US$52million excavator factory in Kaluga. High profile dignitaries, including Kaluga Region governor Anatoly Artamonov and president of Volvo CE Pat Olney, attended a special ceremony on April 18 to mark the start of the groudbreaking project.

Intel Capital has announced a US$100 million investment fund to help accelerate innovation and the adoption of new technology and services in the automotive industry, claiming it is the first global technology investment organisation headquartered in Silicon Valley to announce a dedicated focus on automotive technology innovation. The Intel Capital Connected Car Fund will be invested globally over the next four or five years in hardware, software and services companies developing technologies to promote

Attachments specialist Labounty has introduced two new cutter crushers, said to be the most powerful in their class. The MDP 20R can be mounted to the dipper of a 25tonne machine or to the boom of an 18tonne carrier. The heavier MDP 30R matches the dipper of a 35 tonne excavator or the boom of a 25tonne.