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Finance & Funding

Delay for tenders on key Colombian highways
April 28, 2014
The tender process has been extended for three highway concession packages in Colombia, according to Business News Americas. The country's national infrastructure agency (ANI) has extended the bid deadlines for the Pacífico 2 (Bolombolo-La Pintada), Pacífico 3 (La Pintada-La Virginia) and Río Magdalena 2 (Remedios-Puerto Berrío) projects. The three highway concessions are worth a total of US$1.2 billion and form part of Colombia’s Autopistas para la Prosperidad highway programme. ANI opted to delay the tend
ARTBA highlights risk of deficient bridges in US and need for investment
April 24, 2014
Data from a new government report show that if all the structurally deficient bridges in the United States were placed end-to-end, it would take 25 hours to cross them while driving at 100km/h. The total distance is around 2,500km, roughly the distance between Boston and Miami. The Washington, DC-based American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is highlighting these findings in a new analysis of US bridge conditions. ARTBA has a list of the top 250 structurally deficient US bridges, state r
Legal step for Czech tunnel project
April 23, 2014
The torturous legal case regarding the stalled Blanka Tunnel project in the Czech Republic has taken one step forward. An arbitration court in the country has ruled that the tunnel has to be completed within five months' time. The construction work was halted earlier due to a dispute between the contractor and the city authorities. The tunnel is required to help reduce traffic congestion in the Czech capital Prague with work having commenced in 2007. The project was originally supposed to be ready for traff
Philippines PPP project programme proposed
April 10, 2014
The Philippines Government is unveiling 15 key infrastructure projects worth a total of US$14 billion over the next 12 months. These will form part of the PPP project programme proposed by the Philippines Government. The projects include the $1.44 billion Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike project and the $313.16 million Motor Vehicle Inspection System. Meanwhile the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be allocated a healthy $38.56 billion for road maintenance and repair activities by the gove
Road repair and maintenance programme for Mexico
April 10, 2014
A budget of US$5 billion has been set for road construction, maintenance and modernisation projects in Mexico during 2014. The programme has been set out by the Secretariat of Transport and Communications (SCT), which published 2,191 tenders by March 2014 and expects 80% of resources to be tendered by May 2014. The projects include the Indios Verdes-Santa Clara viaduct, works to 300km of rural and agricultural roads in Quintana Roo and pavement restoration in Benito Juarez. Also included are the Mexico-Pue
Plans in hand for major European transport investment
April 8, 2014
The European Commission is allocating the first portion of funds dedicated to the EU transport network. This first tranche is worth some €12 billion. The funds will go towards innovation, inter-modality and inter-operability. CEF, the Connecting Europe Facility, will allocate €26 billion in the period from 2014 to 2020 for transport infrastructure.
Highway projects underway in Brazil
April 3, 2014
Work is underway securing the finances for key highway projects in Brazil. The tender process for the US$1.72 billio Tamoios Highway project is now underway and the bids are due in mid-May 2014, according to Business News Americas. The project involves a 30 year concession package to operate and maintain the SP-99 Planalto and Serra stretches of the Tamoios highway, connecting the coastal cities of São José dos Campos and Caraguatatuba. The contract also involves 21.5km of road widening along the Serra stre
Equipment firm Wacker Neuson posts bullish results
March 31, 2014
Munich-based equipment manufacturer Wacker Neuson reports an increase in Group revenue and profitability in 2013. This has been achieved in spite of tough trading conditions and having met its targets for 2013, the firm aims to remain on track in 2014. The company achieved €1.16 billion in revenue and says it managed to boost market penetration of light and compact equipment in its core European and US markets. It also developed specific new markets. Group revenue rose 6% to €1.16 billion, compared with nea
IronPlanet celebrates 14 years of online auctions
March 28, 2014
IronPlanet, the leading online marketplace for buying and selling used heavy equipment, is this week celebrating the 14th anniversary of its first auction. “We’re excited to celebrate 14 years of growth since our first online auction,” said Greg Owens, CEO, IronPlanet. “We have attracted more than one million registered users around the globe and sold more than US$3.5 billion of equipment over the Internet. Our success is based on our customers’ recognition that IronPlanet offers the industry’s most eff
Costa Rica highway concession package cancelled
March 19, 2014
The Costa Rican Government is paying compensation worth US$28.4 million for the cancellation of a highway concession package. The compensation relates to the San José-San Ramón highway concession and is being paid to the Brazilian construction company OAS, reports Business News Americas. This follows a legal dispute over the project and is some $10 million less than OAS originally claimed in compensation. The 30 year concession package was cancelled last year due to opposition. There were allegations of a c