Finance & Funding

Mozambique road and bridge maintenance projects planned

April 19, 2016

Mozambique will have to invest US$4 billion to maintain its roads and bridges over the next four years. The country’s road network does not meet demands at present, with numerous routes in poor condition. Congestion and safety are also major issues in the most densely populated urban areas. The source of the funding required has yet to be determined. The Ministry of Public Works is currently in talks with the Portuguese government to secure some of the funding needed.

Bidding for Malaysia highway deals

April 19, 2016

Plans are in hand for the Malaysian sections of the Pan Borneo Highway project. Local contractor Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) plans to take part in the bidding for the Pan Borneo Highway. CMS is bidding for at least one of the 10 work packages being offered. In all the 10 sections of the project will be worth some US%7.42 billion.

Azerbaijan invites bids for reconstruction of Baku-Shamakhi road

April 18, 2016

The Azerbaijan state infrastructure agency Azeravtoyol has announced a tender for reconstruction of the Baku-Shamakhi-Muganli road. The project includes expansion of the highway to four lanes on many sections of the rouad that goes through northern mountainous terrain. The World Bank and Azeravtoyol recently signed an agreement for the bank to fund the work up to US$140 million. Work is expected to take a year.

Australia’s Western Distributor toll project has two tunnel options

April 18, 2016

Public consultation started this month for the proposed US$4.16 billion Western Distributor toll road project in Australia's Victoria state. The latest planes include options for either a short or long tunnel to connect Distributor to the West Gate Freeway. Victoria state government will spend $1.54 billion onthe project but no money is coming from the federal government. Transurban, the project's developer, said the shorter tunnel will have its entrance built in the Hyde Street Reserve. The lon

Cowi and Dissing+Weitling win Shenzhen and Zhongshan bridge deal

April 18, 2016

Engineering group Cowi and architecture firm Dissing+Weitling have won the tender for construction of a bridge and tunnel project to connect the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhongshan. The US$5.51 billion 24km project in the southern province of Guangdong will include the world’s widest immersed road tunnel, two signature suspension bridges and two artificial islands. The road in the Pearl River Delta will have eight traffic lanes in two directions and a daily capacity of 90.000 cars, according to a

SDLG’s E635F model excavator

April 15, 2016

Among new introductions from Lingong’s SDLG brand at bauma is the E635F, a new F-series excavator. The new 3.8tonne-rated E635F sits at the lighter end of the scale and includes a high-torque Tier III Yanmar 4TNV88 engine that the company says enables powerful and reliable performance yet still offers energy efficiency benefits.

Manitou shrinks MT range

April 11, 2016

Manitou has revealed its latest compact telehandler, called the MT420H. Based on the MT625, the new model offers a reduced footprint while maintaining a generous lift capacity. Developed in response to customer requirements for yet more compact materials handling solutions, the MT420H combines a 4.28m lift height with a load capacity of 2tonnes. It uses the full-size cab from the larger MT625 complete with JSM single-lever controller, but is mounted on a chassis that measures 1.49m wide, 3.67m long and 1.9m

Montreal boost infrastructure spending for 2016

April 8, 2016

The Canadian city of Montreal will invest a record US$408 million on infrastructure improvements this year, around half to spent on road upgrades and the other half on water projects. One of the city’s executive committee members, Lionel Perez, said much is being done to mitigate problems for drivers and cyclists during prolonged construction periods, according to a report in the Montreal Gazette newspaper. Perez said drivers on rue St-Denis, a main shopping street, can now use bluetooth technology to

Kenya infrastructure development programme

April 8, 2016

Kenya will receive up to US$284.75 million from France for infrastructure development. The funding includes loans and grants and will be used to finance several infrastructure projects. Kenya will use a significant portion to finance its Last Mile Connectivity Programme. Another portion will be spent on the second phase of the Roads 2000 Programme. In addition, Kenya has secured funding for the East Africa Development Bank.

Swiss spending on infrastructure

April 8, 2016

The Swiss Government has announced plans to invest over €596 million/year in improvements to the country’s road infrastructure. The money will be placed in the newly created national roads fund. This money will largely come from government income from car road taxes and taxes from the sale of fuel.