Road Structures

The Texas Transportation Commission is planning a 10-year programme for key road projects. Included in this programme will be a four-year programme of works aimed at reducing congestion around the state’s major cities. This will be worth some US$2.5 billion. However for the funding to be secured, the Texas Department of Transportation will require the necessary financing agreed for public bridges and roadways during 2015. The funding plan calls for a portion of taxes from car sales to go to the State Highwa

Approval has been given for Vietnam’s Hoa Binh-Moc Chau expressway project. The go ahead has been given by Vietnam’s Government. The project has an estimated cost of US$881 million and is planned as a public-private partnership. The construction work is expected to take 42 months and the new route will connect Hoa Binh to Moc Chau. When complete the expressway will cut the journey time between Hanoi and Moc Chau by around two hours.

The Mersey Gateway project in England has passed a significant milestone, with over half of the main bridge deck stretching across the River Mersey. Work to install stay cables on the main bridge also passed a key point, with installation of the 31st 150m long cable – the halfway point for stay cable installations on the pylon. When complete, 146 stay cables will support the 1km-long reinforced concrete bridge, with a combined load-bearing weight of more than 53,000tonnes. “We’re now more than 50

Financing has been found to pay for road upgrade projects in Ivory Coast. The Morocco-based banking business Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) will provide nearly US$183 million for improvement works to two stretches of highway. The funding will allow the Kokonou to Apprompronou road to be resurfaced with asphalt. Meanwhile the road running from Yamoussoukro through Bouaflé to Daloa will also be improved.

Construction work is due to commence in Hungary on a new dual carriageway, which will be the country’s first intelligent road for testing self-driving cars. The new R-76 route will link the M7 highway with Zalaegerszeg and is expected to cost close to €535 million to build. The road will run close to Sarmellek Airport and will take 24 months to construct.

Construction work for a new expressway project is now underway in the Philippines. The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) will link Mactan with mainland Cebu. The work includes the construction of bridge and the project is being carried out under a Public-Private Partnership scheme. The work is being carried out by Metro Pacific Tollways. Also planned is construction work to build bridges joining Leyte, Negros, Bohol, and Cebu.

Brazilian contractor Odebrecht may withdraw from its current contracts in Peru. The firm had planned to continue operating in Peru but is now considering withdrawing. Odebrecht has hit a series of troubles in Peru due to the complex political situation as well as allegations over improper business practices. The firm is looking to sell off the contracts that it holds in Peru at present and has already dispensed with some operations in the country.