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Results show the state of Europe's tunnel infrastructure at its 'most sublime and most depressing quality' as Patrick Smith reports

Mega project of “extreme beauty” receives top award from the IRF, writes Patrick Smith.The Sheikh Zayed Bridge, which was constructed for the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, has won the Global Road Achievement Award in the design category from the International Road Federation (IRF). The 2011 Global Road Achievement Awards (GRAA) programme is a worldwide contest held to identify and honour excellence, innovation and exceptional achievements in 12 key categories in the transport and infrastructure industry.

Weigh-in-motion technology manufacturers have been involved in a number of significant highways tolling projects across the world in recent months, while others are looking to become involved in major new initiatives. Guy Woodford reports. The continuing global economic crisis did not prevent UK-based TDC Traffic Systems from recently securing the prized US$2.84million (€2.14million) contract to supply 20 high speed weigh-in-motion (WIM) systems for overweight pre-selection and enforcement in Saudi Arabia

A variety of new technology for temporary speed zones during major highway projects across the globe is about to hit the market, while other proven systems remain in demand. Guy Woodford reports. The D-Cam P is one of four new mobile speed reading products for temporary speed zones being launched this month by Truvelo. Deployable solely as a speed camera or at a red light intersection to monitor red light offences, the D-Cam P can also act as a speed camera on the green and amber light phases. The machine d

Infrastructure construction in China is booming as never before, but sealing the world’s longest immersed tunnel is a technically complex engineering project. The impressive Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau fixed link project in China includes an immersed tunnel with a record-breaking length of almost 7km. In 2009 construction began on a project to link the island of Hong Kong with Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai. The link will be one of the region’s most technically complex engineering projects ever. I

An advanced approach to maintenance is helping ensure that the UK county of Kent keeps on top of road drainage. Kent Highway Services (KHS) has a network of some 8,400km of roads and drains, which requires a fleet of vehicles to maintain and support. In order to keep traffic moving and avoid flooding hazards for motorists, road drainage systems have to be consistently monitored and maintained. Previously this was carried out on a reactive basis, but this has proved to be neither cost effective nor efficient

A Colombian contractor tackles specifications for asphalt road work with Astec equipment.Award-winning Colombian contractor MHC has upgraded its Astec Portable Double Barrel plant to handle highway and other projects. The plant, installed in Bucaramanga, equipped with two RAP [recycled asphalt pavement] bins, a Double Barrel Green System, and one New Generation silo was bought by MHC in 2009. It has now received a second silo and a truck scale extension.

Tensar is making some key moves internationally, as well as in terms of market segments. The company is now marketing the GlasGrid range in the US and expects to develop healthy sales, however it sees major growth potential with the Geogrid product range. Jim Penman, director for bi-axial products & applications said: "One area we're moving into is base reinforcement and in particular what we're looking at is mechanistic emirical (ME) technology." Tensar has worked with the University of Illinois on a new d

Construction work on the longest bridge in Malaysia and South-East Asia is well underway. Malaysia and South-East Asia is well underway. When completed, the cable-stayed bridge will have a two-lane carriageway and a motorcycle lane in each direction, and will connect Batu Kawan on the mainland to Seberang Perai and Batu Maung on Penang Island. The main span will be 250m long with a length over water of 17km and a 30m height above the water. Costing an estimated US$1.5 billion the 24km long bridge is being b

MINNESOTA CITIES including Minneapolis and Richfield have been testing pervious concrete on parking lots and other hard surfaces to improve storm water management. In Shoreview MN, the authorities went a stage further by opting to replace a storm drainage system with pervious concrete.

German firm Wirtgen is to begin marketing its concrete slipforming machines in the US, through its Wirtgen America operation. The move comes with the launch two new concrete slipformers developed just for the US market, the SP15 and SP25.

Russian operator company NCC (Nevskaya Concession Company) has placed an order with German manufacturer Herrenknecht for the world's largest tunnel boring machine (TBM). The Mixshield TBM, for construction of the Orlovski Tunnel, "will surpass all previous TBMs" with a diameter of 19.25m and it is designed to construct a mega-tunnel to link both halves of the centre of Russia's second city St Petersburg under the River Neva and speed up traffic.

A wide variety of new equipment and technology to assist production at asphalt plants is about to be launched onto the market, while asphalt producers are continuing to look at greener working practices. Guy Woodford reports. Lintec, in partnership with Loesche, recently created what they say is the world’s first containerised Coal Mill Plant for independent coal dust supply at the jobsite which offers mobility and high economic efficiency through the substitution of gas or oil with coal.

In Colombia the Government intends to invest US$170 million into the road networks of 23 departments. Repairs will be carried out to tackle damage caused by harsh winter weather. The authorities in Colombia’s Santander region also plan to improve road infrastructure. Meanwhile in Rionegro there have been calls to stop work on the Tunel del Oriente road and tunnel project, carried out by Conexion Vial Aburra-Oriente. The scheme has been criticised by environmental groups over inconsistencies with environment

Work on a 39km toll road linking Pemalang with Batang in Indonesia is expected to start in mid-2012, although the finance structure is still being established.

A new highway project in Texas will tackle peak congestion

Construction work on the 13.6km Gempol Pandaan toll road in East Java is commencing. The US$174.5 million project will take 18 months to complete and is expected to open for traffic in the third quarter of 2013.

A major highway deal has been agreed for a road project in Gujarat, India, worth an estimated US$810.8 million. It will be handled under the build, finance, operate and transfer basis and will involve upgrading and widening to six lanes a 102km section of National Highway 8 (NH-8) from Ahmedabad-Vadodara. The project also includes upgrading 92km of the existing Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway. Work is expected to take three years to complete, and the 25-year concession deal for the project has been a

In the Czech Republic tenders worth €146.15 million are now open for bids. The bidding process was started for the 50 tenders by the Czech Roads and Motorways Directorate (RSD). Most of the tenders relate to the D1 and D3 highway project, the Prague Ring Road and the R6 link between Prague and Karlovy Vary and for documentation and technical supervision of the upgrade works. RSD will also spend €32.4 million on the technical supervision of smaller projects in the next four years.

In the Czech Republic the road authorities are looking to address quality issues that have caused problems on the country’s roads and highways. The Czech Roads and Motorways Directorate (RSD) plans to check the quality of highways using vehicle-mounted scanning laser technology. This will allow RSD to launch repairs before potholes are formed. It is estimated that costs of the repairs will be cut by 30%. RSD tried a similar method of scanning in 2006 but the project was suspended because of a lack of fundin