News

The Canadian province of Alberta has put a halt to further public-private partnership projects pending a provincial government cabinet decision on their use. Alberta infrastructure minister Brian Mason said the New Democratic Party government isn’t declaring a moratorium on P3s. However, he said that he plans to stick to the traditional methods of funding as he launches a five-year US$27 billion capital construction programme. The Calgary Sun newspaper quoted Mason saying “there are real questions abo

A Mexican firm has been awarded a major highway concession package in the country. Promotora y Operadora de Infraestructura (Pinfra) will build, operate and maintain La Raza-Indios Verdes-Santa Clara motorway for a 30-year concession. The package of works was awarded by the Mexican Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT). Pinfra’s offer was for a US$376.12 million deal for the implementation of the 10km route. This stretch of highway is expected to carry 50,000 vehicles/day. However, the offer

Major highway projects have been given approval in India. The work is worth some US$667.12 million in all. The projects are for new highways in Himachal State and Uttar Pradesh State. The new highways have been approved as part of the fourth stage of India’s National Highways Development Project. The first of these new highways will see land being acquired, along with rehabilitation and resettlement plus the construction of a total of 128km of roads. This includes the main highway itself plus the access roa

Bentley Systems is calling for submissions for its annual software awards event. The construction software specialist is asking for entries to the 2016 Be Inspired Awards programme, with a deadline for entries is May 30th, 2016. The awards are selected by independent juries of industry experts and recognise the work of organisations that develop key infrastructure advances.

Geveko has changed its name Geveko Markings, a business unit within Solix which acquired Geveko last summer. Geveko said there will be an increasing focus on developing, producing and supplying marking materials.

Argentina's Transport Minister Guillermo Dietrich has revealed that the government will tender road projects worth nearly US$7 billion in the second half of this year. Work will start for some of the contracts by the end of this year and up to 2019, he said.

Vietnam has seen a drop in road traffic crashes in the period from January-April 2016 compared with the same period in 2015. According to Vietnam’s National Traffic Safety Committee, the number of road crashes fell by 12.6% to 6,620 during this period. Collisions accounted for 3,190 of Vietnam’s road crashes, which resulted in 1,945 serious injuries and caused 2,790 fatalities during the January-April 2016 period.

Official figures from Catalonia in Spain show a high percentage of road fatalities relate to driving under the influence of drink or drugs. According to the Legal Medicines Institute in Catalonia, post mortem tests showed positive for drink or drugs in 45% of road accident deaths in the region.

A number of major bridge projects in Chile are now delayed.

Major highway improvement works are being proposed for Queensland, Australia. The aim of the work will be to reduce congestion along a 4km stretch of highway that suffers long delays during peak periods at present. Some US$129.5 million (A$168 million) of federal funding will has been proposed to widen the highway connecting the Gold Coast with Queensland capital Brisbane, with work possibly starting in 2017. However the project hangs in the balance and depends on the results of an upcoming election process

A highly innovative bridge project is planned for Indonesia. A specialist firm from the Netherlands, Tidal Bridge, has been contracted to construct the new Pancasila Palmerah Bridge in East Nusa Tenggara. The project involves constructing a 1.3km suspension bridge that will span the Larantuka Strait and connect Flores with Adonara Island. The project is expected to cost US$400 million and construction work is due to commence in December 2016. Of the bridge's 1.3km total length, around 800m will span Larantu

Three major projects have been approved in Pakistan. The projects have a total value of US$1.42 billion and were approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.

Slovakia is looking to benefit from European funding for key highway projects. The country’s Transport Ministry has selected a number of expressway projects as well as the D1 and D3 highways as being of high priority.

Plans are now in hand in New Zealand for a series of road projects in Tauranga. The New Zealand Government of has plans to spend some US$356.36 million (NZ$520 million) on a number of high priority road projects in Tauranga.