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A huge leap in highway investment, more privately-run toll motorways and a stronger road industry lobby would all be welcomed by Christopher Chope, chairman of the UK’s highway maintenance all-party parliamentary group. Speaking exclusively to World Highways at the PPRS Paris 2015 pavement preservation and recycling summit, Chope said “yes, I would very much like to have a lot more capital investment in the roads sector. There are still too many pinch points out there … where one motorway meets another for

The financial crisis may be easing but the geopolitical situation will continue to hamper heavy equipment sales for some years yet, according to David Phillips, head of Off Highway Research, based in the UK. Gone are the heady days of pre-2007, “when it was unbelievably easy to get credit” to buy machinery, Phillips told delegates during his presentation on day two of the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit in Paris this week. North America alone counted for up to half of world demand for equipment w

Extra compaction forces can be delivered using adapted equipment

A demolition team has successfully demolished the damaged southern lane of the Skjeggestad Bridge in Norway. Located in Vestfold, the bridge was damaged some weeks ago when the ground around its foundations slipped. The explosive demolition project was technically challenging due to the proximity of the bridge carrying the northern lanes but did go to plan according to Norway’s Public Roads Administration (NPRA). Initial plans to repair the Skjeggestad Bridge proved impractical and the decision was made to

Road owners around the world “need a highway to heaven” according to Michael Cramer MEP, chairman of the European Parliament transport committee. Speaking at PPRS Paris 2015, the pavement preservation and recycling summit, Cramer said that Europe’s current road policy “lies somewhere between AC/DC’s Highway to Hell and Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven” and that, to mis-quote Bill Clinton, the EU needs to start thinking “it’s road maintenance stupid” whenever the subject of highway investment is under consi

Mexico is cutting its planned motorway construction budget. The country's Secretariat for Transport and Communications (SCT) has said the budget will be cut by US$268.8 million, a reduction of 17% from the figure planned originally. The 130 different projects that were to have been carried out under the original budget will still be built, but a number may be delayed. Road construction has been a key priority for this government in Mexico. In all some 46 new motorways will have been constructed by the prese

In Serbia plans are being drawn up for a new tunnel project. The planned route for the road tunnel would run under the mountain of Kadinjaca and connect the towns of Uzice and Bajina Basta. The plans are being drawn up by the Regional Development Agency Zlatibor, with tendering due for a feasibility study into the project. Funding looks set to be provided from European sources with some €176,000 to cover all the necessary project documentation and the paperwork should be ready by the end of 2016. The estima

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, AEM, is seeking off-road equipment industry frontrunners whose innovations, ideas and leadership have contributed significantly to the growth and strength of the industry. Nominations for induction into the AEM Hall of Fame are due by June 5 and are evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts from the construction and agriculture sectors. Submit completed nomination forms and supporting materials to [email protected].

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, AEM, is seeking off-road equipment industry frontrunners whose innovations, ideas and leadership have contributed significantly to the growth and strength of the industry. Nominations for induction into the AEM Hall of Fame are due by June 5 and are evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts from the construction and agriculture sectors. Submit completed nomination forms and supporting materials to [email protected].

The Danish government is in talks with contractors over the latest rise in cost estimates for the proposed prestigious Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link between Denmark and Germany. Contractors have estimated an extra €295.5 million will be needed. This is in addition to a statement last November by the contracting company Femern saying that costs had risen nearly €900 million. The total rise price hike is nearly €1.2 billion. This puts the final cost of the 18km tunnel including two railway tunnels, two motorway tun