Finance & Funding

A feasibility study is to be carried out for the planned highway connecting Nigeria’s commercial centre Lagos with Ivory Coast capital Abidjan.

Strong sales of construction machines in Italy reflect an improving economy according to construction machinery manufacturing association, UNACEA. During 2018, 14,645 construction machines were sold in the Italian market, a growth of 16% compared to the previous year. Sales of earthmoving machines were particularly healthy, hitting 14,144 units and showing 16% growth from the previous year. Sales of road construction machines grew by 2% to 501 units meanwhile. “2018 has been an encouraging year for the I

A huge investment in road upgrades is being planned in the US state of Michigan. The programme of works could cost an additional US$1.5 billion/year, with upgrades for highway routes and key interstate links. The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) says that this budget will be needed to improve the state’s key road links to the standard required. At the moment just half the required funding is in place, leading to a shortfall in road improvement work. The backlog on repairs and improvements to r

Construction of Montenegro’s Bar-Boljare motorway now looks likely to cost substantially more than originally planned. The project was originally budgeted at €80 million however Montenegro’s Ministry of Transport has now revealed that the work will have a pricetag some €15 million greater, totalling €95 million. This increase is considerably more than had been allowed for. The work is to be carried out by Chinese contractor CRBC although the deal has yet to be signed officially. The Smokovac-Matesevo stretc

A new bridge carrying Interstate 10 is being planned for Calcasieu in Louisiana. The new structure is expected to cost from US$400-600 million to construct and will feature three lanes in either direction, with provision also for cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge will be built to the north of the existing I-10 bridge, which was constructed in 1952 and is no longer able to cope adequately with the traffic volumes it carries. The new bridge is expected to be funded privately, with tolls for drivers crossin

New road and bridge links are being opened to drivers in Vietnam, boosting connectivity and transport for the country. The 60km Ha Long-Van Don expressway in Quang Ninh is now open to traffic, having cost around US$514.4 million to construct. The Ha Long-Van Don expressway links the Ha Long - Hai Phong - Hanoi expressway with Van Don Airport and was built by the BOT Bien Cuong Joint Stock Company. And the 47km road stretch connecting the Hanoi-Haiphong and Cau Gie-Ninh Binh expressways is also now open to

Construction work for the Beitbridge to Victoria Falls road upgrade project is expected to start shortly.

Mexico is planning a series of road upgrade and improvement works across is Federal Road network. However, only roads that are not tolled will be covered by this programme, which has a budget of US$1.03 billion. Around 8,500km of the 40,500km network has been identified as being in need of improvement works. The Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) is prioritising the road sections most in need of improvements to be tackled first and is planning the tender process.

Colombia’s 4G road infrastructure development programme is on track. The financing for 70% of this programme of works is now being secured. Worth some US$15.5 billion in all, the 4G programme is the fourth stage in the country’s plan to redevelop its transport infrastructure. Work commenced on the 4G programme in 2016 and it was originally due for completion in 2021. However, delays have crept into the programme due in part to issues surrounding the Brazilian contractor Odebrecht, which was handling some of

The agreement between Ghana and China over a road construction project has been settled. The deal will see Ghana effectively trading bauxite from a mining operation with a Chinese firm, which will build road links in the West African nation. The deal is called the Sinohydro Bauxite Barter Arrangement and has been set up with Ghana’s Government. Ghana will supply the firm with around 5% of its refined bauxite production under the agreement. Construction work is commencing on the first stage of the project,