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Financing has yet to be finalised for a series of road construction works in Paraguay. Loans are expected to pay for upgrade works to major road links. A loan of US$142.8 million is being sought from the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and South American development fund Fonplata. Meanwhile a $90 million loan is being sought from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). And a further $200 million loan would also be sought from the IDB. Road projects to benefit from the funding would be for the

A new 167km highway will be built in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. This will provide an improved transport link between Shigatse (Xigaze) Peace Airport and Lhasa. The project is expected to cost US$3.95 billion. A feasibility study has been carried out into the project and submitted to the region’s transport department. The existing G318 National Road connects the airport with Lhasa but features a number of sharp turns and the new link will provide extra capacity as well as improved safety levels

A major new project is being planned for Australia’s Victoria State. The 26km North East Link is intended to connect Melbourne’s Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough with the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen. If the project is to go ahead it is likely to cost in the region of US$11.23 billion (A$15.8 billion), making it the single largest transport infrastructure project in the history of Victoria State. Should the work be approved, construction work would commence in 2020, with completion then due in 2027.

Volvo CE is continuing its development of sophisticated zero emission machines and is now unveiling a prototype wheeled loader with all-electric drive. The firm recently demonstrated its LX2 electric compact wheel loader at the Volvo Group Innovation Summit in Berlin. The prototype machine delivers zero emissions, significantly lower noise levels, improved efficiency and reduced operational costs. At the summit, Volvo CE also demonstrated its EX2 fully-electric compact excavator prototype and presented the

Plans are being drawn up in Colombia for a number of new tertiary roads in Valle del Cauca Department. A new highway will be built in Valle del Cauca department, while a new road will improve connections between Mulalo and Loboguerrero.

Road surfacing work worth US$150 million will be carried out in Kenya on the routes connecting Modogashe to Habaswein and Samatar as well as Rhamu to Mandera. The work involves surfacing a total of 143km of roads. This will be carried out jointly by Hass Consortium-GVR Infra and Shandong Hi-Speed Nile Investment Company, supported by the Stanbic Bank of Kenya. The contract will take 30 months to complete, while Shandong Hi-Speed Nile Investment Company also has a deal for the PPP package that involves maint

The highway linking Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar with the city of Darkhan is to be rebuilt. A loan worth from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help pay for the project. The work is expected to cost US$225 million and construction work should commence in April 2019. The upgrade to the 205km road will boost both capacity and safety on the route. The city is Mongolia’s third largest and is a centre for industry for the north of the country. As Darkhan is close to the border with Russia lying between Khy

Plans are being drawn up in Russia for the road links that will connect with Western China. The work will include rebuilding existing links as well as building new roads, with completion expected by 2024. Four separate road projects are being prioritised. One route will include a highway through Kazan while another will see the construction of a new tolled highway.

Japanese funding will help pay for a key road project in Georgia.