Features

EarthSense Systems has published MappAir, a high-resolution map of air pollution throughout the entire UK MappAir shows how air pollution - specifically nitrogen dioxide - changes across the country and within towns and cities, highlighting likely sources and potential clean-air refuge areas. It combines data from satellites and its EarthSense Systems’ own air quality monitoring sensors along with open source data. The result, using complex modelling, creates a highly accurate map at 100m resolution, says

Strategic maintenance was a major theme at the second Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit in Nice, France. The world is changing, mobility is changing and so roads must change and adapt for the future.” With this brief statement, Jacques Tavernier opened the second PPRS Summit. “At the same time there is a growing awareness of poor or non-existent maintenance for highways. The question for this conference is how to adapt road maintenance in the face of this challenge,” said Tavernier, in his role as

Wirtgen is offering an array of new technologies for milling, recycling and stabilising applications. These are intended to boost accuracy, versatility and performance. A new milling drum assembly is offered that widens the range of applications that the Wirtgen W 150 CF/W 150 Cfi milling machines can handle. This redesigned assembly allows users to select an array of cutter drums, including a 1.8m-wide unit. According to the firm, the machines offer the highest power to weight ratio for their class, with d

As pressure increases on the cost and availability of resources, investment in recycling technology continues to grow across the road building industry. To meet its full potential, a greater understanding is needed of material performance to allow the building of more resilient, sustainable and economic networks - *David Smith explains. Over the past decade, the road construction industry has made significant strides in recycling. Reducing the reliance on virgin materials is of environmental importance,

Software mapping of air pollution along transport corridors is an important weapon for improving air quality, argues Arne Berndt*. Although power plants and factories play a large part in increasing air pollution globally, traffic is now the largest single contributor. Commercial vehicles account for a significant share of traffic around the world, with freight volumes projected to grow 40% by 2050. Yet, despite modern vehicles being more environmentally friendly than earlier models, the sheer volume of th

European construction sales grew by 15% in 2017, according to the Annual Economic Report 2018* from the CECE After a strong first quarter, growth slowed in Q2, before rising in Q3 and Q4, according to the CECE - Committee for European Construction Equipment. Current levels of sales are on par with the levels seen in 2006 and 2008, but the industry is still 20% below the 2007 peak.

The International Road Federation has highlighted worn zone safety practices in the United Kingdom by bestowing the 2018 IRF “Find a Way” Global Road Safety Award to Highways England, the agency tasked with managing the country’s major roads. The Award was instituted in 2012 as part of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety by IRF chairman Eng Abdullah Al-Mogbel in recognition of the value of leadership by example in driving road traffic injury reduction strategies. Every year, the Award disti

Work zones present an increased risk for workers who build, repair, and maintain roads, bridges, and tunnels, as well as for a variety of road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, who are confronted with less than ideal safety conditions in these work zones. Global statistics on work zone-related injuries are not available, however the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reported 25,485 of work zone crashes involving at least one injured party in 2015, of which 642 resulted in

The Road Safety community gathered in New York on 12th-13th April for the launch of a new United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund. The new UN Fund is intended to catalyse road safety action across the globe, using donations to help unlock new government and municipal funding and refocus national road safety budgets towards proven ‘Safe System’ interventions. The FIA Foundation has pledged a donation of US$10 million to kick-start the fund launched by UN deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed. The FIA Found

The major manufacturers are introducing an array of advanced asphalt compaction machines - Mike Woof writes. New compaction machines are coming to market from an array of manufacturers, aiming to increase output and efficiency for road contractors. One of the most notable developments is with Hamm’s launch of a production hybrid compactor model, while other firms say they are also working on similar systems. However, several manufacturers have introduced new and improved machines with superior performance t

Financing from the Middle East is helping to build the first toll road in Russia’s capital Moscow – Eugene Gerden reports. The first toll road within the Russian capital Moscow will be built this year with financing from a consortium comprising Russian and Arabian investors. This was revealed officially in a recent statement from the Moscow City Government. The heart of the project involves building a relief road for Kutuzovsky Prospekt, a major radial avenue in Moscow, which is known for its luxury stores

IRF Geneva was at the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit (PPRS) 2018 in Nice The Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit (PPRS) 2018 in Nice (26th – 28th March 2018) set the scene for the signature of an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between between Ashghal, the Qatari Public Works Authority and the International Road Federation (Geneva). Ashghal’s participation in the summit was part of its endeavour to open opportunities for cooperation and investment in the road sector and recy

Advances in asphalt plant technology will boost efficiency for producers, while increasing the percentage of recycled materials that can be used in the mix - Mike Woof writes. Asphalt plant technology continues to advance as the rival firms fine-tune their technologies for greater performance. New plants can give higher quality output due to new control technologies, while also allowing for recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) to be used more efficiently, while still ensuring tight mix specifications are met. A

Bolivia’s new highway project will improve connections with Brazil and Chile – Mauro Nogarin reports. Work is underway on Bolivia’s new Rurrenabaque – Riberalta highway project, which will boost connectivity for the country. The project is being coordinated by the Bolivian Highway Administration (ABC), with an Eximbank loan of US$579.4 million providing the financing for 85% of the work. The remaining 15% of the funding will come from the Beni Department’s budget, where the route is being built. Located in