Finance & Funding

Tenders and financing for Serbian highways

November 22, 2013

The Serbian Government is considering a loan from China’s Export-Import Bank, which would pay for the construction of the E-763 highway. The bank looks set to give its approval for the €223 million loan, which would pay for 90% of the construction work for the E-763, or Obrenovac-Ljig, highway. The loan would be approved over a 20 year repayment period and a five year grace period at the fixed rate of 2.5%/year. Meanwhile tendering will open for completion works on Serbia’s Pirot-Dimitrovgrad highway unti

Study moves ahead Brussels ring road proposal

November 22, 2013

Studies for the proposed Brussels Ring Road will receive EU support. Co-financing worth some €1 million from the EU’s TEN-T Programme will help pay for a study to optimise the Brussels Ring Road and improve its traffic flow and safety. The Belgian authorities will pay the remaining €1 million for the study. The main aim of this study is to try and separate local and transit traffic, without extending the existing road infrastructure.

International investment in infrastructure increasing

November 15, 2013

According to market analysis by global advisory firm KPMG, the value of global transactions in the transport infrastructure sector has risen steeply since the beginning of 2013. KPMG reports that 2013 looks set to be a record year for transport infrastructure deals. The first half of 2013 saw global deals of infrastructure assets worth US$16.6 billion. By the end of the third quarter this figure had risen to $23.5 billion. The majority of assets acquired in 2013 have been either in Europe or Asia.

Could the US Interstates be reconstructed using with toll finance?

November 13, 2013

The US Interstate network needs serious investment, and tolling could provide the answer - *Bob Poole writes Could the ageing US Interstate highway system be rebuilt and modernised using toll finance? What kind of toll rates would this require? How feasible would doing this be? In September the Reason Foundation released a study on this issue. The study showed that it may be feasible to finance the reconstruction and selective widening of nearly the entire Interstate system using moderate toll rates collect

Wacker Neuson reports strong Q3 performance

November 12, 2013

Compact equipment manufacturer Wacker Neuson reports an upturn in its business in the third quarter of 2013. This comes despite the difficult economic climate. The firm’s revenue for the third quarter of 2013 was 8.6% higher than the same period in 2012 and reached €276.3 million, compared €254.5 million in the previous year. Taking into account currency fluctuations, this represents an increase of 13% according to the firm. “When viewed against negative trends in certain markets, we can be satisfied with t

Los Angeles County opts for Iteris bus signal priority

November 6, 2013

Building on multi-modal transit services provided over the past ten years, Iteris is to provide a multi-jurisdiction bus traffic signal priority system (BSP) for Torrance Transit’s Rapid Line in Los Angeles County, California. The US$2.2 million contract includes the design, procurement, deployment, and on-going operation and maintenance of a multi-jurisdiction BSP at 83 signalised intersections. The BSP system utilises existing on-bus systems that incorporate GPS-based automatic vehicle location equipme

Serbia planning transport infrastructure improvements

October 30, 2013

The Serbian Government is preparing its plans for a programme of transport infrastructure improvements and upgrades. According to the country’s Ministry of Transport, the work is desperately needed to improve Serbia’s dilapidated transport infrastructure. The poor state of the country’s transport network is said to cost the country’s economy some €500 million/year, as well as resulting in an excessive number of road deaths and injuries. Serbian highway company Putevi Srbije is currently working on improvem

Chilean Government develops secondary road investment scheme

October 30, 2013

A new programme of works in Chile will see major maintenance being carried out on the country’s extensive network of secondary roads. The plans have been set out by the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and the works will be offered under a new concession framework that is planned to be announced in the first quarter of 2014. The works will require up to 30% of the MOP's annual budget, some US$594 million. Meanwhile MOP has also signed a deal with the highway operator Autopista de Aconcagua. This will see upgr

New highway to connect Uzbekistan capital

October 30, 2013

In Uzbekistan work is commencing on a key link of the highway connecting capital Tashkent to Osh. The 58km section of the A373 being improved runs though the Kamchik mountain pass and needs to be upgraded due to wear and tear from the winter weather conditions as well as being widened to handle growing traffic levels. The work will be completed by mid-2014 and is costing some US$211 million. The existing road features a single lane running in either direction. The work involves widening the highway so that

Mexico is benefiting from heavy transport investment

October 30, 2013

A major programme of investment looks set to add new road and highway links to Mexico’s network. The Ministry of Communications and Transport (SCT) has announced planned investments of some US$5.39 billion in several projects in the states of Chiapas, Guerrero, Michoacan and Oaxaca. The 70 projects include 32 road and 14 motorway projects, as well as the expansion of six ports. In addition, the new Las Armas distribution road that will connect the State of Mexico and Mexico city has been inaugurated. The fi