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The controversy surrounding the driving of a new road tunnel close to the UK’s Stonehenge monument has deepened following a recent incident. A 3m diameter hole was allegedly drilled through an important archeological find, a platform constructed of flint and animal bone, located close to the site Stonehenge. The platform is thought to have been erected some 6,000 years ago, making it older than Stonehenge itself, and preserves hoof prints made by aurochs, giant wild cattle that are now long extinct.

Plans have been unveiled for a proposed road upgrade project in Scotland. These plans show the preferred route for the upgrade to the A96 between Nairn and Fochabers, towns which lie to the east of Inverness on Scotland’s North East coast. The project is being planned by Transport Scotland and will see the 45km road section being upgraded to dual carriageway status. The work will include building new crossings over the Aberdeen to Inverness rail links, as well as over the Spey, Findhorn and Lossie rivers.

South Korean contractor Hyundai Development has been awarded a major road project in Ethiopia. The firm will carry out the US$138 million project to construct a 143km road link between Ethiopia’s Tepi Region and Gore Region. The firm will commence construction activity in January 2019. The package of works was awarded to the firm by the Ethiopian Roads Authority. The project is important for Ethiopia economically as it will help develop trade and transport.

A new highway contract will be carried out in India by Welspun Sattanathapuram Nagapattinam Road (WSNRPL). The firm is a subsidiary of Welspun Enterprises and will work on the US$271 million project to upgrade the route connecting Sattanathapuram with Nagapattinam.

The contract for the second drive for the Karavanke tunnel connecting Slovenia with Austria is now once more being tendered. The project was awarded earlier this year to the Turkish contractor, Cengiz Insaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret. However this deal was then annulled and the firm prevented from reapplying. The Turkish company had submitted a bid of €89.3 million for the work. However this had to be rejected as the actual estimate to build the link sets a pricetag of some €121.5 million. The Slovenian road opera

California’s Bay Area Toll Authority is evaluating the potential for introducing electronic tolling technology on key bridge links in the state. The proposals would see electronic tolling systems being introduced for the seven state-owned toll bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area. Should the proposal go ahead, it would cost an estimated US$50 million to install the systems on the seven crossings. A decision is expected in early 2019 and if the go-ahead is given, the systems would be made operational durin

The new Monroe Expressway in North Carolina is now opening for drivers, which will cut journey times for many drivers in the city of Charlotte.

The new Monroe Expressway in North Carolina is now opening for drivers, which will cut journey times for many drivers in the city of Charlotte. Costing an estimated US$800 million, the 32km route lies to the South East of Charlotte and runs parallel to US-74 south of the I-485 route running around the city. The new road link utilises electronic tolling and connects Marshville with Stallings.

The construction of two new national roads is being considered in Indonesia. Costing some US$296 million to build, the roads would form part of the Trans Papua network. One of the routes would run around 98km, connecting Wamena with Paro. Meanwhile the other road would connect Paro and Mumumu. Both routes would be offered as concession packages, with the concession term being for 15 years.

A new report from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) predicts growth for the US construction market in 2019. The US transportation infrastructure market is expected to grow 4.2% in 2019, according to ARTBA’s annual economic forecast.

The organisers of the 10th International Trade Fair of Equipment for Construction and Mining in Brazil claim success for the event. The show was held from November 26th to 29th at the São Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre. The exhibition is claimed to have exceeded expectations of exhibitors and buyers in terms of business transactions and visitor quality. Focus topics were technologies which contribute to higher productivity, quality, efficiency and sustainability. A total of 800 national and inte

A new elevated road project is being planned for Karnataka State in southern India. Construction of the new link is expected to cost US$3.44 billion. The first phase of the route will stretch over 102km. Construction should commence in 2019. The work will be carried out under the PPP model. The new link is expected to improve traffic flow in the state.

Construction work for a key stretch of Costa Rica’s Northern Ring Road (Circunvalacion Norte) could be delayed. The section from Leon X!!! and Colima was originally intended to open to traffic at the end of 2018. However, as construction work is not yet complete on the new bridge spanning the Rivera Ravine or for the intersection with La Uruca, there are concerns that opening the highway stretch could result in road safety issues. Building the Northern Ring Road is costing some US$163 million and the proj

A highly innovative 3D printed bridge made from resin and composite materials has been erected in China. The bridge has benefited from 3D printing technology developed by the Shanghai Construction Group (Shanghai Construction). The structure is just over 15m long and has been erected in Taopu Park in Shanghai. Although this is a small pedestrian bridge, its construction provides an effective trial for the 3D printing process. The bridge has an estimated working life of 30 years and is said to be weather and

Funding worth a total of US$500 million has been secured for two important highway projects in Bangladesh.

Tendering is now underway in Pakistan for the N-30 Khuzdar to Basima Highway.

Funding has been secured for an important bridge project in Myanmar. The new bridge will connect the key commercial city of Yangon with Dala, spanning the Yangon River. The Economic Development Cooperation Fund of South Korea is providing a loan worth close to US$138 million for the work. The Myanmar Government is also providing over $188 million for the project. Originally the bridge was expected to cost $168 million but a series of design changes have resulted in a larger budget being required. One of the

Progress is being seen in North Korea and South Korea with regard to the plan for new road transport connections between the two countries. A 12km highway section is to be built in South Korea linking Munsan to Dorasan Station, with the route running close to the border with North Korea. Because of the project’s strategic importance, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance has stated that there is no need for a feasibility study to be carried out, a break from convention for the country. A budget of US$457.6 m

Important transport infrastructure projects have been proposed for the Philippines in a bid to boost connectivity. A feasibility study is planned for the two bridge links to connect Negros Island, Guinaras Island and Panay Island. And a feasibility study is also planned for the 26km Davao City Expressway Project. An agreement between the Chinese Government and the Philippines Government is allowing the feasbility studies to go ahead. The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is overseein

Work is starting on a major new bridge project in Myanmar. Costing US$188.17 million, the Yangon-Dalla bridge will carry four lanes of traffic and provide a major transport link. Some $30.34 million is being provided by sources in Myanmar while the bulk of the funding, some $157.83 million, is being provided by South Korea. The project to construct the suspension bridge is expected to take until mid-2022 to complete.