New Panama bridge project due
Construction work for the fourth bridge crossing over the Panama Canal is expected to commence in late 2019. The project is costing US$1.42 billion and the new bridge will be built by a Chinese contracting consortium comprising China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The 6.5km bridge will feature three lanes in either direction, as well as two light rail tracks.
Mirbud awarded ring road contract for Olesno, Poland
Mirbud has been awarded a €155 million contract to build a 25km ring road around the Polish town of Olesno. The ring-road will be part of a new S11 expressway.
Other companies which competed for the contract include Strabag, Budimex, Porr and Polaqua.
Olesno, with a population of around 10,000, lies about 40km from the city of Opole in southwestern Poland.
Zambia bridge crossing stalled due to payment delays
Progress has now stalled on Zambia’s Kazungula Bridge project, due to delays with payments.
Netherlands highway widening and upgrade project
A major highway widening project is now planned for the M20 route in the Netherland. A budget of €124 million has been set for the work, which will see the stretch between Nieuwekerk aan den IJssel and Gouda being widened. This section features two lanes in either direction at present but the work will see the stretch featuring three lanes in either direction. The work will help reduce congestion and delays for drivers, improving journey times at peak periods.
Ecuador road network plan
A new plan for improving Ecuador’s road network has been set out by the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP). At present the state road network stretches for a total of 10,132km but responsibility for maintaining 1,644km of these roads has now been handed over from MOTP to several Prefectures or to a number of private firms. These Prefectures now handling their own road maintenance works include Guayas, Manabi, Pichincha and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas.
MOTP has set a budget of US$100.3 millio
South Sudan rural road and highway works planned
New rural road and highway conncetions are being planned for South Sudan, in a bd to boost connectivity.
Liebherr’s strong results hit record high
Liebherr has achieved a record turnover of €10.55 billion for 2018. This broke through the €10 billion barrier for the first time in the company’s history and represents an increase of €739 million, or 7.5 %, compared with the previous year’s turnover.
This came despite a slight decline in overall economic growth. Both the construction machinery and mining equipment divisions recorded overall increases in sales revenues, as did the other product areas overall.
Revenues from construction machinery and mini
Norway moves toward more E39 coastal road improvements
Norway is working on plans to make more of the major north-south E39 coastal route a ferry-free highway, coasting €35.3 billion, according to media.
In Norway, the trans-European route 39 is part national road system and is developed and maintained by the public roads administration. It runs for 1,330km along the coast from Klett just south of Trondheim to Nørresundby.
Norway’s E39 is mostly a two-lane undivided road with only relatively short sections near Stavanger, Trondheim and Bergen being motorw
Work to start on Fehmarn Belt link to start in autumn
Construction of the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link between Denmark and Germany should start this autumn for completion in 2028, according to the Danish government.
Danish company Femern, which is responsible for the construction of the link, will begin negotiations with two contractor consortiums for the first of the project’s works which will start on the Danish side. A tunnel element fabrication yard and a works harbour must be built in Rødbyhavn, as well as a tunnel portal on Lolland.
An autumn start wou
Thailand ring road project to be rerouted?
Calls have been made for the route of Thailand's third western ring road to be changed. Locals in Ayutthaya, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi provinces are petitioning for the project to be diverted. The ring road will be largely elevated and stretch 98km in all. An analysis of the route and the possibility for changes is to be carried out. When complete, the new link will connect Rama II and Ayutthaya.
Managua motorway construction to start
The tendering process for the Juan Pablo II motorway project in Nicaragua’s capital Managua is opening shortly. Construction work is then expected commence in late 2019, once the deal has been awarded to suitable contractor. The motorway will stretch nearly 10km and the work is expected to cost US$270 million. Nicaragua itself will pay $28.6 million for the project with $136 million coming from the Central American Bank for Economic Intergration (CABEI) and another $136 million the European Investment Ban
New expressway for the Philippines under construction
A new expressway link in the Philippines is now under construction. The US$241.6 million South Luzon Tollway (SLTC) project will feature six separate sections. Work is due for completion in 18 months. The new route will cut journey times on the route between Santo Thomas and Barangay Mayao from three hours at present to just 45 minutes.
Earthmoving machine sales improved
have increased since the second half of 2017. In particular, in Germany and France the main constraint is a shortage of labour, while in Spain or the United Kingdom the main brake is demand.
Sustained dynamics for investments in Central Eastern Europe, with the exception of the construction market in Turkey, going decidedly against the trend compared to 2017. Overall, however, the implementation of EU funds during the 2014-2020 programming cycle has supported construction, particularly civil engineering.
New Paraguay road tender plan
Tendering is opening in Paraguay for the country’s Transchaco road project. The construction start date has not yet been revealed but the work is expected to take two years to complete once building gets underway. Building the new Carlos Antonio Lopez route is expected to cost US$670 million, with the 559km road connecting Cerrito and Mariscal Estigarribia. Funding worth $400 million is being supplied by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) while $160 million is being supplied by the Inter-American D
Concern over the state of US bridges
Bridge condition is a serious concern in the US, according to a new report from American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).
Vietnam’s major highway project on track
Construction work is underway on Vietnam’s North-South highway project. A 654km stretch of the route is being built at present, with this work costing US$5.1 billion. Clearance work for other sections of the North-South highway is due co commence. In mid-2019, construction work is due to start on three sections, while tendering will open for eight PPP projects that will for stretches of the North-South highway.
Norway road deal awarded
A project for a 19km stretch of Norway’s E6 highway has been awarded. The work will be carried out by the contractor Hæhre Entreprenør, in partnership with the consultants Dr Ing A Aas Jakobsen Trondheim and Sweco Norge. The deal is worth €420 million (NOK 4 billion) and was awarded by Norway’s state-owned road firm Nye Veier. The new section of highway will connect Kvithammar and Åsen, with construction commencing in 2020 and expected to take until 2025 or 2026 to complete. The work includes driving four n
New Zealand expressway project delayed
Construction of New Zealand’s Otaki to Peka Peka expressway is delayed. The route was due to open in 2020 but will not now be complete until 2021. The 13km link will feature four lanes and form part of the Kapiti expressway. The construction of this expressway section is costing US$212.5 million (NZ$330 million).
New German tunnel project commencing
Construction work for a new tunnel stretch for the A44 route in Germany is now starting. The Boyneburg Tunnel section will measure 1.7km and forms part of the new A44 Autobahn, connecting the city of Kassel in central Germany with Herleshausen, where it links with the existing A4 route. The new tunnel section lies close to Wichsmannhausen while building the 70km stretch of the A44 is costing €1.7 billion.
European transport safety programme
A new programme of transport safety measures has been drawn up for Europe, with funding having been secured. Called the Safer Transport Platform, this programme is being managed jointly by the European Investment Bank and European Commission. The plans call for a series of investments in transport safety, with a special focus on roads
New financing measures form part of the Safer Transport Platform, a joint EC and EIB initiative. This will address investment needs in transport safety in Europe.
At the TE