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The UAE is investing US$3 billion in improving its road network and general transport infrastructure. New road sections are to be built, while existing roads will be widened so as to boost capacity. The work will be carried out to meet international standards for construction and safety.

The UAE is investing US$3 billion in improving its road network and general transport infrastructure. New road sections are to be built, while existing roads will be widened so as to boost capacity. The work will be carried out to meet international standards for construction and safety.

Major road improvements will be carried out in several South African provinces. The Transport ministry has set a budget of US$880 million to improve key road links. Some of the projects being handled by the state-owned road company, SANRAL, are commencing shortly and should be completed in the next 12-24 months. One link being improved is the RS573 Moloto Road, which has an unenviable reputation for its frequent crashes. A budget of $217 million has been set for the work, which will include widening secti

Dana Incorporated (has completed the acquisition of the Drive Systems segment of the Oerlikon Group. This deal includes the Graziano and Fairfield brands and expands Dana’s capabilities in electrification as well as its manufacturing presence in key growth markets.

Volvo CE plans to acquire specialist firm CeDe Group, based in Malmo, Sweden. CeDe modifies construction machines for use in special applications, adapting equipment in low volumes. The deal is for an undisclosed sum and will include CeDe’s intellectual property, operations and other assets. As the annual volumes produced are relatively low, the deal will have no major effect on Volvo CE’s financial position. CeDe Group works for several leading OEMs, including Volvo CE and its dealers. Its adaptations inc

Continental, the German premium on- and off-highway tyre manufacturer and technology company, is pressing ahead with the integration of its tyre services for truck and bus fleet customers. In the newly established Fleet Solutions department, the company’s Truck Tyres Replacement business in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is merging its Conti360° Fleet Services business field, which also includes ContiPressureCheck and ContiConnect, with the ContiLifeCycle business field, comprising retreading and c

The Canadian province of British Columbia has shortlisted three consortia to design and build a US$1.06 billion Pattullo Bridge replacement near Vancouver. Fraser Community Connectors is led by Kiewit Canada Development. Kiewet Infrastructure BC is the design-build contractor. The long-span bridge design contractors are T.Y. Lin International and International Bridge Technologies. A joint venture of Flatiron Constructors, Dragados Canada and Carlson Construction Pattullo includes ACS Infrastructure Ca

Work is now due to commence on the Third Incheon Bridge in South Korea in 2020. The new bridge will measure 4.7km and will have three lanes in either direction, as well as provision for pedestrians and cyclists. Connecting Incheon with the island of Youngjong, where the city’s main airport is located, the bridge is due for completion in 2025. Construction of the link has been delayed due to legal disputes with the operators of the first two bridges.

A new road project in Costa Rica is being evaluated at present. The plans call for an upgrade of Route 32, providing an improved 46km link between Virilla River and Sucio River areas. The project would require the driving a new tunnel in parallel with the existing Zurqui Tunnel, located on the southern side of the Braulio Carillo National Park. The project is expected to cost US$643 million and the route is likely to be offered to tender under a 30 year tolled concession package. A full feasibility study ha

A major tunnel construction project is now underway in Bangladesh, the first tunnel in the country to be constructed under a river.

India’s Tamil Nadu State is working on a programme to redevelop 1,538km of rural roads. The plan has been set out by the Tamil Nadu State Government. Financing for the work will be provided by the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD). The work is being planned by Rural Roads unit of the state’s Highways Department. A budget of US$112.5 million has been set for the upgrade work, which should be completed within six months.

Working is commencing on a key road project in Argentina’s Buenos Aires Province. The road will connect Canuelas, on the south western outskirts of capital Buenos Aires, with the town of Azul. The improved route will boost transport between Buenos Aires and Azul, which lies to the south west of the capital, and will also pass through the towns of Las Flores and Cachari. The project will be carried out under the PPP model and is expected to cost US$1.77 billion in all. The first stage of the project will be

The Canadian province of British Columbia has shortlisted three consortia for its Highway 91/17 upgrade project in Delta, next to Vancouver on the Pacific coast. Kiewit Construction Services will work as design-build contractor while WSP Canada will act as the design firm. Pacific Gateway Constructors and Ledcor CMI will work as lead design-builder along with Aecon Infrastructure Management and Bel Contracting as design builders and McElhanney Engineering Services as the designer. Finally, Gateway Legacy

Vulnerable road users face risks in the US. While road fatalities are falling overall in the US, pedestrians and cyclists have seen an increase in road deaths in recent years. Driver fatalities have dropped from 27,348 in 2006 to 23,611 in 2017. However, road deaths for pedestrians and cyclists have increased from 5,567 in 2006 to 6,760 in 2017. Poor attitude by US drivers is thought to be a key factor. Aggressive behaviour behind the wheel and driver distraction, particularly with the use of cellphones,

Funding is being secured that will help pay for the Sarawak Coastal Highway project in Malaysia. The State Government for Sarawak has set a budget of US$2.65 billion for four key infrastructure projects, including the highway, as well as the second state trunk road. All four of the projects are expected to start in 2019 and 2020. A number of Malaysia’s major contractors are reportedly keen to bid for the coastal highway project. The coastal highway project includes the construction of a number of bridges a

Construction of the biggest bridge in Highways England’s €1.73 billion A14 Cambridge-to-Huntingdon upgrade has been completed. The River Great Ouse Viaduct stretches for 0.8km and when opened to traffic next year will take the new A14 road over the floodplain and the East Coast Mainline Railway line. Work began in November 2016 on the bridge that is part of a new 27.4km bypass under construction to the south of Huntingdon and away from the existing A14. The road is being widened to three lanes in both

Demolition has started on downtown Seattle’s old Alaskan Way Viaduct as part of a major waterfront redevelopment project that included the State Route 99 tunnel. According to Seattle media, Washington state is aiming to collect US$200 million in tolls from the 3.2km tunnel – which is now open - as part of the $3.3 billion replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. However, tolling on the double-deck tunnel which has two lanes in each direction, plus an eight-foot safety shoulder, will not start until this s

A new software called SmartWater offers predictive capabilities for gully management. It has been developed by software specialist InTouch with support from Lancaster University, Innovate UK and the Department of Transport. In a Smart City demonstration project in Bristol, it has achieved savings of 50% and reduced problem gullies from 25% to just 8%. The system uses a combination of IoT sensors and predictive software to boost efficiency over conventional methods of checking gullies by rota. Research fo

Eurovia has completed part of major French highway renovation project using 100% recycled asphalt.

The novel Jig-Brix system is said to offer fast and easy repairs for road ironworks. This plastic inter- locking brick system is used for the construction of underground chambers and for the support of road ironworks. It also requires no mortar, speeding installation. The Jig-Brix system is manufactured from recycled polypropylene which is 100% recyclable and is able to cope with heavy traffic volumes. The Jig-Brix sections lock into place vertically and horizontally without the use of metal clips or scre