The UK’s A591 road in Cumbria was badly damaged in last December’s storms but recent work on a retaining wall is making life easier for construction crews. The vital Lake District tourist route, which stretches between Grasmere and Keswick, has been closed between St Johns in the Vale and Dunmail Raise following storms Desmond and Eva. A new 106m retaining wall - the length of a football pitch - is being built in the beck alongside the part of the A591 which collapsed during the bad weather.
Contractors
The shocking collapse of a major highway bridge in the Italian city of Genoa has highlighted a major problem with regard to poor infrastructure condition in the country. Causing multiple fatalities, the cable-stayed Morandi Bridge suffered a spectacular failure of a central support. Homes have had to be evacuated and it seems likely that the bridge, opened in 1967, will now have to be demolished.
However, warnings had been given. The unusual bridge design, with its thin deck and reinforced concrete stays
South Korean capital Seoul is introducing special parking places intended specifically for use by female drivers only. These parking spaces are slightly wider and longer than conventional parking spaces and are also better lit. The spaces are being placed near to elevators, are painted pink and are also highlighted by an emblem resembling a female. According to new rules, buildings have to allocate 20% of parking spaces for use by females while roadside parking areas must designate 10%. The number of parkin
Kazakhstan is increasing the budget allotted for road repairs in the west of the country. The country’s government plans to allot some US$110 million (ZT 20 billion) for road repairs in West Kazakhstan. This sum will be used to fund repairs from 2014 until 2016.
