News

A road and underwater tunnel project linking Dachanwan Tollgate with Yueliangwan Boulevard in Shenzhen city, China will be completed in 2015. Shenzhen's first underwater tunnel will cost around US$403.04 million (CNY 2.49 billion) to build (EUR 289.41mn USD 403.04mn). It will span 1.3km in Qinghai Bay. As part of the project, renovations will be conducted on a section of Yueliangwan Boulevard. The renovation works on the 4.4km highway section are scheduled for completion in July 2014.

The authorities in Paraguay are planning a bridge project that will improve connections in its border area with neighbouring Argentina. The project forms part of a US$170 million plan for infrastructure projects in the border area between Argentina and Paraguay. Other works include a new port terminal in Pilar and improvements to the Alberdi-Pilar highway. The majority of the funding will be directed towards work on the Remanso Bridge and the road section that connects with the port of Falcon.

The European Union is to help finance studies for the northern border section of the Ionian Highway in Greece. Some €1.56 million is being provided through the TEN-T Programme to help pay for a series of studies required to prepare for the project’s tender process. The studies will cost some €3.12 million in all and related to a 46km stretch of highway connecting the Egnatia Odos-Ionian Highway interchange and Kakavia.The initiative was selected for funding under the 2012 TEN-T Annual Call and includes carr

Italian firm CONTROLS is expanding its operations with the acquisition of Australian firm IPC Global. The Australian firm offers advanced material testing technologies for asphalt, soil and unbound materials and this deal will both strengthen the international profile of CONTROLS by adding the Australian facilities but will also further develop its portfolio of solutions. IPC Global will continue to be run as an autonomous operation according to CONTROLS as this will allow the Australian company to capitali

Plans for a major new bridge project have been given the go-ahead by the Chinese Government. The project calls for the construction of a second bridge spanning Hangzhou Bay. The new bridge will provide a more direct connection between the economically important cities of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai. The project looks likely to cost in the region of US$2.95 billion to construct, including the connecting roads. The bridge will shorten the travel distance between the cities from 200-160km.

A major plan for infrastructure is being put forward for Chile. Chile's Construction chamber (CChC) has presented a plan for some US$40 billion in infrastructure improvements to the new Chilean Government. The CChC has highlighted the concession model as being the most effective tool for encouraging private investment in infrastructure. The CChC suggests that Chile has a critical need for infrastructure development, but a serious shortfall of public funds according to a report by Business News Americas. Roa

Proposals have been put forward for a tunnel link in Bulgaria that would be Europe’s longest. The 37km long twin tube tunnel would form part of Bulgaria’s Struma Highway, which runs 150km from Dakalovo to the Greek border. The tunnel option has been proposed largely due to environmental reasons. The route of the highway takes it through the area of the Kresna Gorge but on both environmental and technical grounds, building the road on the surface is out of the question and the best solution is to construct a

The Public Works Authority (ASHGAL) of Qatar has given Larsen & Toubro (L&T) a contract worth US$599.13 million (INR 36.55 billion) to design and build the Al Wakrah Bybass Road. Scheduled to take 32 months, the high profile project will involve building 11km of road with 10 lanes and four future lane sections with additional collectors/distributor roads, frontage roads and ramps. The new freeway will provide access to the existing and planned developments via five major interchanges comprising of 20 bri

Slovakia plans to use €4 billion of its €15.3 billion EU funding package for 2014-2020 on road projects. The projects include the construction of several new stretches of the D1 and D3 motorways, as well as repairs and modernisations of Class II and Class III roads. The government in cooperation with the regions are currently drafting a strategic plan for the development and maintenance of roads at a regional level.