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Work is now going ahead on the new highway stretch to connect Peka Peka with Otaki, which will form part of the planned Kapiti Expressway. This 13km stretch of highway is being built by contractor Fletcher Construction. The package of works was awarded by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and involves designing and building the new link. Construction work will start in 2017 and is expected to take until 2020.

New bridge crossings over the Amu Darya River will improve transport connections between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The bridges will open to traffic in early 2017 and will carry both motor vehicles and trains. The bridges have cost around US$123 million to construct. The new links have been needed for some time as existing crossings between the two countries have been insufficient and resulted in long delays. The river forms the border between the two countries for some distance.

Funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will help with the construction of a new tunnel as well as road links in Nepal. The US$168.56 million funding package comes in the shape of a loan to Nepal’s Government. This will be used to pay for the construction of a 2.5km tunnel that will link Nagdhunga with Naubise. The loan will also pay for the 7km of road on either side of the tunnel. The project is due for completion in 2022 and will fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Roa

The results of a European traffic study should surprise few UK drivers. According to the research by Inrix, the UK has Europe’s most congested roads. The study evaluated traffic densities in 123 major cities across Europe and revealed 20,375 areas in the UK where traffic congestion is a problem. By comparison Germany had less than half as many areas where traffic is a problem. This is in spite of the fact that Germany has a significantly higher population than the UK. According to the study, a spot where

Consultancy firm Atkins has won a major contract in the US to support highway operations and reduce congestion nationwide. The deal will see Atkins working with the US Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Operations to reduce congestion and improve mobility across the country’s highway network. The US$132 million multiple-award contract is intended to help improve the safety and efficiency of the US transportation system by accelerating the deployment and integration of innovative technologies.

Parsons will head the team handling the feasibility study for the proposed I-69 bridge project in the US. Parsons was awarded the package jointly by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to lead the environmental review as well as to complete the preliminary design work for the I¬ 69 Ohio River Crossing project. The deal will see Parsons evaluate the feasibility and environmental impact of various routes for a new bridge across the Ohio River. Th

Work is now starting on the new bridge linking Paraguay and Brazil. The construction work is planned to take 36 months to complete and the new link will improve transport connections between the two countries as the existing bridge is no longer able to cope with demand. The contractor for the project is the joint venture alliance Construbase-Cidade-Paulitex. When originally planned the bridge was expected to cost in the region of US$71.3 million, however more recent updates as to the pricetag have not as ye

A budget of US$8.97 billion has been set as the limit on borrowing for India’s highways development programme for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The financing agreement has been made by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), acting through the country’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. This substantial budget comes in spite of fewer projects being awarded as well as less financing having been secured during 2016. In the April to October 2016 the NHAI awarded contracts for 2,330km of highways.

A study produced by the United Nations reveals the high risk of motorcycling in India. In 2015 the country had 36,800 motorcyclists killed on its roads, with a further 93,400 being injured. However the UN’s study reveals that the fatality rate for India’s motorcyclists could be cut by as much as 42%, if helmet wearing was mandatory. Compulsory helmet use by India’s motorcycle riders would save around 15,000 needless deaths/year, while cutting serious head injuries by around 69%. The UN Motorcycle Helmet Stu

The New Zigana Tunnel project in Turkey is currently under construction and is expected to cost up to US$1 billion in all. When complete this tunnel will measure an impressive 14.5km long. The two lane tunnel will connect Gumushane and Trabzon in the country’s north east, and will be located at an altitude of over 1,200m above sea level. The construction of the tunnel will replace the existing route over the Zigana Pass, which reaches an altitude above sea level of 2,032m. Once complete the new tunnel under

The tender process for a key road project is commencing in Malaysia. The tender is for building the KPC Port Link Road as well as a number of other associated works, which will be carried out in Bandar Pelabuhan Kuantan, Pahang. The project will form part of plans being set out by Malaysia’s East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC). This new road link will imrpove connectivity to the port, allowing for more efficient transportation of goods by road, to and from the facility. To be considered

The tender process for four major toll road projects in Indonesia will commence during 2017. The Indonesian Government is partnering with the World Bank to handle the four projects. The new Bali toll road will improve transport links in Bali, while the construction of the Tegal-Cilacap toll road will provided a much-needed new link in Central Java. Also being planned are the Jogya-Bawen toll road and the Sukabumi-Ciranjang-Padalarang toll road. Indonesia’s Toll Road Regulatory Agency is working on costings

Financing has been secured for a project to help reduce chronic congestion in Angola’s capital, Luanda. The project calls for the upgrade of Corimba Boulevard. Netherlands-based bank ING will deliver the key portion of financing, US$483.4 million, for the project, which will be used for dredging works as well as reclaiming land along the coast. This portion of the project is being handled by the firms Urbeinvest Projectos Imobiliarios and Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors. Meanwhile the road construc