News

The Russian Government is looking at options with regard to doubling its road construction programme by 2023. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, previously made a decree of doubling the road construction programme with a view to improving and increasing the country’s transport links. To achieve the target set by the president the country will have to build an additional 780km of federal highways and 2,940km of regional roads. The financing for the new highway construction programme has yet to be reveal

The tender process is underway for two major projects in Poland. One project involves constructing three sections of the new southern ring road around Polish capital Warsaw. Building the 18.5km stretch that comprises the three sections is expected to cost in the region of €1.6 billion. The Polish General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) says that bids have to be submitted by 10th October 2014. The A section will be some 4.6km long, the B section 6.45km long, whilst the C section will be

In Oman plans are in hand for a major road widening project. The project calls for the widening of the 715km Adam-Thumrait highway. Local contractor, Ghantoot Transport and General Contracting Establishment (GTGC) made an offer of US$285.7 million for phase one of the project. GTGC also offered $229.9 million for the second phase of the project. Other contractors have submitted bids including Galfar Engineering and Contracting, Strabag Oman, Ozkar Construction Co, Consolidated Contractors Co, Dogus Construc

Watch the video of an explosive highway bridge demolition from the US. A demolition contractor recently removed an old highway bridge in Missouri using explosives. The bridge spanned Interstate 44 but had to be replaced as it no longer met requirements. Having been built in 1960, the bridge was 127mm (5”) too low to meet the current minimum height specification of 4.877m (16’) while it also required repairs to its deck that would have proven costly to implement. A new bridge will be built that meets the hei

A new road surface is required for the Ile-d'Orleans Bridge in Quebec, Canada. The resurfacing work is needed just four years after the surfacing works were completed. The problem is caused by a combination of the tough winter weather and the age of the bridge, which requires the asphalt to be laid in a much thinner layer than on more recent structures. The thin layer of asphalt is vulnerable to cracking and damage and this has resulted in rapid wear due to the freeze thaw effect. The maintenance work is ex

Strong sales are expected at the Ritchie Bros unreserved auction in Romania. In excess of 700 items of heavy equipment or trucks are being put up the sale. The auction event will be carried out close to Cluj-Napoca on September 9th and the items on sale include a large quantity of dump trucks, wheeled loaders, bulldozers, compactors and graders. This event will be the company’s first-ever auction in Romania. The items are being sold on behalf of a large contractor and all units on sale will be sold to the h

A series of major road projects in Guatemala now look set to go ahead. A US$340 million loan from the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) will most likely fund work to widen the 131km Mayuelas-Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla route to four lanes. A final decision on the financial package required for this project is due in September 2014. Meanwhile the tender process is opening for a 100km stretch of road running through El Rancho, San Agustin Acasaguastlan, El Progreso to Mayuelas, Gualan, Zacapa. Th

Plans are moving forward in Paraguay for several key projects. The Costanera II road project will be put out to tender at the end of 2014. The project is likely to cost in the region of $100 million. Also due to go out to tender is the project for a new bridge linking Paraguay with neighbouring Brazil, which is expected to cost some $172 million. And in a loan of $134 million will pay for improvements to the Pilar-Alberdi road, costing $120 million, and the Puente Remanso Castillo-Puerto Falcon road in Para

A new report from research group Frost & Sullivan suggests that the market In North America and Europe for road-markings, coatings and paints in transportation will grow to US$2.61 billion by 2020. The study is the Strategic Analysis of Road-marking and Traffic Paints and Coatings Market in North America and Europe. One key finding is that demand for water-based coatings is increasing in the US. Governments in the US and Europe are to launch initiatives to expand road infrastructure and develop durable mate

Preparation work for the access roads to Nigeria’s new Niger River crossing has now commenced. Construction of the bridge itself looks likely to commence in 2015 and this long delayed project has been the subject of much scrutiny and comment within Nigeria. Contractor Julius Berger has the concession for the US$700 million bridge, which will carry both road and rail links. The site of the new bridge is close to the commercial city of Onitsha, which is a major transport hub for Nigeria. High volumes of throu

A report from South Korea highlights the country’s high road crash rate. Produced jointly by the Korea Insurance Development Institute and the General Insurance Association of Korea, the report reveals an increase in road crashes over the last three years. The report compared the crash rate for period from July to August 2014 against the same time period for the preceding years, revealing an increase in crashes of 5.6% for the time slot in focus. According to the report, the number of highway crashes increa