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Two major road contracts have been awarded in Ecuador by the road authorities. OHL has won the concession for a 131km stretch of road between Babahoyo and Jujan. The 30-year concession package involves an investment of over US$726 million. Meanwhile Tecnica General de Construcciones has a 30-year concession for the 113km road connecting Buena Fe and Santo Domingo. This deal is worth $591 million and includes widening the road so that it features two lanes in either direction.

Work is starting on a section of the road that will connect Son La and Cam Lo in Vietnam.

Work on Route 15 that connects Nogales with Estacion Don in Mexico is nearly complete. Located in Mexico’s Sinaloa State this route is of particular importance for the country as it connects with the US border at Nogales and is vital for trade. Around US$1.06 billion has been spent on improving the 651km Route 15 and the upgraded road should be carrying traffic along its entire length by November 2019.

Belarus is planning to rebuild the existing M-10 highway link, which connects with the EU to the west and Russia to the east. Running through the south of the country the M-10 connects Brest on the border with Poland, to Gomel close to the border with Russia. The work is expected to cost €185 million to carry out and the project is being planned under the PPP model. Various bids have already been made for the work, with contractors from Turkey and China amongst those tendering.

The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has proposed a number of solutions that could help boost future road safety.

A new report from the UK highlights that utilising warm mix asphalt (WMA) can help cut CO2 emissions. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Highways has issued a report highlighting how the use of WMA can reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiencies on highways projects. WMAs are manufactured and laid at lower temperatures than traditional asphalts, using less energy and delivering carbon savings without compromising performance. Their use can reduce CO2 emissions associated with asphalt production for

An agreement has been reached in Vietnam for construction of a bridge over the Dong Nai River close to Ho Chi Minh City. The proposed 4.5km, six-lane cable stayed structure – the Cat Lai Bridge - could cost as much as US$268 million. It would replace the Cat Lai ferry service that runs between Nhon Trach District of Dong Nai Province and District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City. The bridge would also become a major route to the international airport, according to local media. The ferry service carries on averag

The European Cohesion Fund is investing nearly €279 million in construction of the west-south deviation of the D1 motorway in Slovakia. The EU-funded works include construction of a two-way tunnel, two interchanges, 12 retaining walls, noise barriers and 18 bridges. The 515km cross-country D1 connects the capital Bratislava, along the Danube River close the country’s western border with the Czech Republic, and in the eastern city of Košice. An extension is proposed from Košice to Michalovce, further

Main Site Taxonomy WH5 Sub Taxonomy ES08 Image supplied No Needs XSP Romania’s national road agency reports that it has four offers for both the design and construction of Lot 4 of the Sibiu-Pitesti A1 motorway. The National Company for the Administration of Road Infrastructure (CNAIR) said the value of the deal is around €427.5 million. Construction is likely to take 60 months - 16 months for design work and 44 for construction. The bidders are from China, Turkey, Austria and Italy. Lot

A new ring road project is planned for Romania. The work will be carried out in the city of Galati, which lies close to Romania’s borders with the Ukraine and Moldova, in the east of the country. Funding from the EU will help pay for the work. The project comes with an estimated pricetag of €1.2 billion while the construction work is expected to take 40 months. The new route will connect the DN25 and DN26 routes with the E87 highway. The work includes building bridges. Galati lies on the lower reaches of th

Plans are being considered by the Russian Government for the new Meridian Highway project, intended to connect Europe with Western China.

The Malaysian Government is working on its proposed strategy of taking over 15 highway links in the country. This move is intended to help boost transport efficiency and reduce journey times for drivers. Should the arrangement go ahead as planned, the aim is to eliminate tolling on the routes by 2038. The highways that the Malaysian Government hopes to acquire are currently owned by Gamuda, IJM Corp, Plus Malaysia and Projeck Lintasan Holdings. These include the North South Expressway, one of Malaysia’s key

Environmental clearance has been awarded by the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project.

The necessary financing package for Serbia’s key highway project is now being secured. The Belgrade to Sarajevo highway is already under construction, with 60km of the link having been built so far. The existing section of the highway connects Obrenovac with Ljig, while work on the southern stretch of the route is due to commence shortly. Serbia has taken loans worth €3 billion for its share of the project, with the Turkish Government and various Turkish banks being directly involved in supporting the works