News

There is mounting concern in the US at the high number of crashes during 2015. For the first seven months of 2015, there has been a 14% increase in the number of traffic fatalities compared with the same period in 2014. The data shows that there were 18,630 road deaths in this period, with over 2.2 million serious injuries. This is a notable increase and should the trend continue it will mean that 2015 will have had the highest rate of road deaths since 2007. The cause (or causes) of the increase in road de

The authorities have set out plans for significant investment in Siberia’s roads. Some US$818.85 million has been earmarked for investment in developing roads in the Irkutsk region by 2030. The plan calls for the construction of two major transport corridors. One of these corridors will provide a shorter route westwards between the Krasnoyarsk region and all the European part of Russia to the north of the Irkutsk region and the Sakha Republic. The other of the corridors will the Buryat Republic and the Far

Central Bedfordshire Council has appointed Ringway Jacobs to a Term Services Highways contract for the English county for seven years, starting April 1 next year. The councils said the contract will allow it to have “greater control and influence of what happens on its highways network”. The contract is based upon the standard contract documentation developed as part of the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme which is a sector-led initiative designed to maximise returns from investment in highwa

There is concern in France and Portugal following the publication of data showing increases in road deaths. Both countries have been highly effective in recent years in reducing road deaths and injuries following campaigns to crack down on speeding and drink driving. The recent increases in deaths and injuries from road crashes have been of major concern as a result.

A new bridge is being built linking Cameroon and Nigeria and spanning the Cross River where it forms the border between the two countries.

The University of Birmingham has been offering courses on road management and engineering designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge of management procedures for the planning, appraisal, design, construction and maintenance of road networks for more than 40 years. The University of Birmingham’s Senior Road Executive Programme (SRE) has provided continuing professional development for senior professionals working in the road sector. The SRE has contributed to the dissemination of knowledge

The preliminary agenda has just been published for the 2015 Pavement Preservation and Recycling Association conference in Niagara Falls, Canada. The event promises to give delegates a practical insight into the latest research and innovative applications that are driving the industry forward. PPRA 2015 will build upon the momentum of the Pavement Preservation & Recycling Summit held in Paris, France, this past February. It will be an excellent opportunity to learn what other companies, agencies, US state

An approval has been granted by the prime minister to scale down and slash investment for a road project linking Hai Phong-Hanoi and Cau Gie-Ninh Binh motorways in Vietnam. In 2011, work on the project started and within 2015, it is anticipated that the project will reach completion. Due to a capital squeeze, investment on the project will reach nearly US$212 million, a cut of almost $39.64 million. By 2017, stage one of constructing two traffic lines will be completed.

A pan-European police campaign tackling speeding is intended to boost road safety. The operation has been organised by the European Traffic Police Network, TISPOL. The move has seen the use of a variety of technologies and methods to enforce speed limits. The aim of the campaign has been to bring home the message to drivers that speeding increases the risk of serious crashes. Research suggests that excessive speed is a factor in one third of vehicle crashes and is the single largest contributory factor to r

A bridge crossing the Caspian Sea has been proposed. China is looking at possible designs for the structure, which would link Azerbaijan with Kazakhstan. The estimated cost of the project has not been disclosed but the bridge would provide an important link in the overland transport route from China and through Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan as well as Armenia and Turkey to Europe. Economically this overland road (and rail) link is of prime importance both for China and Europe, as well as for the countries situa

China’s Sichuan Province has plans in hand to develop its rural road network. The development programme commenced in 2013 with some 8,500km of new rural roads planned by 2017 and costing an estimated US$824.16 million. The plan is intended to improve transport in rural areas and help develop economic performance. During 2015 alone the programme will see some 17,000km of roads being constructed, costing in the region of $179.76 million. A further 3,300km of roads will be built during 2016 and 2017, costing a

UK firm Zaha Hadid Architects' has won the contract to design the Tamkang Bridge in Taiwan. The award was announced by Taiwan’s Directorate-General of Highways (DGH). The winning design is an asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge supported by a single pylon. The winner was chosen by a committee of 15 members, with designs sent in by US-based, Denmark-based, Germany-based, South Korea-based, Japan-based and Taiwan-based architecture companies. The Tamkang Bridge, which is 900m in length, will be built based on Za