Road Structures

A series of major road rebuilding projects in Bolivia look likely to be handled by Chinese contractors. The Bolivian Government is deciding on the Chinese firms that will carry out road infrastructure works in the country. This decision follows from a loan provided via the Chinese Government loan worth US$7.5 billion. There have been criticisms of the link between the loan and Chinese firms being allowed a greater chance of winning repair contracts. But this has been deflected by the Bolivian Government, wh

Skanska has won the T02 Sørkjosfjell Tunnel Contract as part of the government’s Highway E6 improvement project in the county of Troms, northern Norway. Norway’s rail administrator Statens Vegvesen awarded the €50 million contract for the 4.6km Sørkjosen Tunnel -- its common name -- and work is scheduled for completion in July 2018. According to the OJEU document Contract T01 consists of the open air road from the breakwater in Sørkjosen to tunnel portaling at Mølnerelva, a length of 870m, as well as

India will carry out a feasibility study on a road link between Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu state and Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka, a federal government minister has said. "It needs the consent of both countries,” said Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan. “The project needs to be discussed at various levels," according to a brief report by India’s Hindu newspaper. Radhakrishnan told the reporters that federal government had begun consultations to carry out a

In Bangladesh, the draft detailed design of the US$5.14 billion Dhaka-Chittagong highway has been approved by the government. The feasibility study to execute the plan has already been completed. The highway will measure 198km in length. The project is to be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

Plans are underway to widen a stretch of the Western High-Speed Diameter (WHSD) around St Petersburg in Russia. The northern section of the WHSD, near Beloostrov, will be widened from four to six lanes. The work will be carried out by Northern Capital Highway (NCH), a consortium owned by VTB and Gazprombank. This consortium is currently building the central section of the WHSD, as well as operating the tolled northern and southern sections under a PPP concession agreement. The project will cost around US$15

A major upgrade of Mexico’s Atizapan-Atlacomulco road link is being planned. The work is expected to commence in 2016 and will cost in the region of US$182.63 million. The project will be carried out by OHL Mexico, the Mexican subsidiary of Spanish form OHL. Once the upgrade is complete, the route will be able to carry heavier traffic volumes than at present and the extra capacity will cut delays on the route, as well as increasing safety.

Using a linear road crusher can rebuild gravel roads using material onsite at a fraction of the cost of conventional methods. Gravel roads are common in many rural areas in the US to provide access to temporary work sites and are also used widely in developing countries. Maintaining and repairing these roads can pose challenges and new methods may offer improvements in efficiency.

Bolivia is looking to source funding for two major highway projects from China. This development could follow discussions between Bolivia's vice-president Alvaro Garcia Linera and Chinese funding bodies being held during his trip to China. The highways in focus are the links from Porvenir to Chive and from Chive to Ixiamas. The 151km Porvenir to Chive highway is expected to cost around US$385 million to construct. The 254km Chive to Ixiamas highway meanwhile is expected to cost $600 million. Should Chinese