Finance & Funding

New highway and bridge projects are being planned that will boost connectivity in the Russian Federation. One project lies close to the city of Ufa while another is in the Perm Region. The project to build the new Eastern Exit highway link close to Ufa, capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, is now expected to cost US$590.1 million, compared with the $503.3 million that was originally anticipated.

Funding has been found to help pay for building and operating Mexico’s Atizapan-Atlacomulco highway. OHL is building the link and has secured US$364.6 million in loans for the project. The financing package is being provided by several banks, including Santander, Institucion de Banca Multiple, Banco Nacional de Obras y Servicios Publicos (Banobras) and Santander Mexico.

Funding for a road project in Myanmar looks likely to come from Thailand. The project and the possibility of a finance package for the work has been discussed in Myanmar’s parliament. The funding would come in the shape of a loan worth US$136 million and would help pay for the construction of the two-lane link. The new road connection will run between Myanmar’s Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Thailand.

A major road construction programme worth a total of US$2.31 billion is being planned for Arunachal Pradesh in India. The planned work would see the construction of around 800km of roads, with the programme having been set out by the Indian body, National Highways & Infrastructure Development (NHIDCL). The programme would account for around half of NHIDCL's total investments for India as a whole.

A funding package from Japan will help pay for the third stage of Sri Lanka’s key Central Expressway project. The third phase of the Central Expressway project will be constructed by the Japanese firm, Taisei Corporation, with the work taking five years to complete. Financing worth US$883 million is being provided by the Japanese Government for the project. This third stage of the Central Expressway will stretch 32.5km and will connect Pothuhera with Galagedara.

A series of highway and tunnel projects are planned for Colombia’s Antioquia Department. These new tunnel and highway projects form part of Colombia’s 4G infrastructure development programme. In all 19 tunnel stretches are planned for the eight highways being built in Antioquia as part of the 4G programme. The new highways are providing 28,000 jobs in all and will improve transport connections between Antioquia Department and Colombia’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Interest is strong in the project to build the Agua Negra Tunnel, which will connect Chile and Argentina. So far 10 consortia have been pre-selected to enter the bidding process for the project. However Ebitan, the joint Chilean/Agentinian commission with responsibility for the project has said it will not release the names of the consortia that have been pre-selected until November 2017 instead.

Plans are now being drawn up for a series of projects that will form part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Four road projects worth over US$3.32 billion have been added to the CPEC programme. The Chinese Government is now in agreement with the plans for the CPEC. One of the new roads being built will run from Naukundi, through Mashkel and to Panjgur. The road will join National highway N-40 with CPEC Route N-85, and the Zhob-Kuchlak route. This last link forms part of the Western Corridor CPE

Slovakia’s national motorway company NDS said it would tender the second stage of the 10.2km R4 Presov northern bypass during the first half of 2018. The project is estimated to be worth around €314 million.

Plans are being up in Thailand’s capital Bangkok for a new expressway project in a bid to cut the city’s chronic congestion problem. This new route would provide a connection between the Western Outer Ring Road and Rama II Road. The project is being planned by the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat). Financing for the project worth US$918.3 million will be provided by the Thailand Future Fund (TTF). The new route will include an elevated stretch from Rama II's traffic island towards the Western Outer Ri