News

A pan-European police campaign tackling speeding is intended to boost road safety. The operation has been organised by the European Traffic Police Network, TISPOL. The move has seen the use of a variety of technologies and methods to enforce speed limits. The aim of the campaign has been to bring home the message to drivers that speeding increases the risk of serious crashes. Research suggests that excessive speed is a factor in one third of vehicle crashes and is the single largest contributory factor to r

A bridge crossing the Caspian Sea has been proposed. China is looking at possible designs for the structure, which would link Azerbaijan with Kazakhstan. The estimated cost of the project has not been disclosed but the bridge would provide an important link in the overland transport route from China and through Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan as well as Armenia and Turkey to Europe. Economically this overland road (and rail) link is of prime importance both for China and Europe, as well as for the countries situa

China’s Sichuan Province has plans in hand to develop its rural road network. The development programme commenced in 2013 with some 8,500km of new rural roads planned by 2017 and costing an estimated US$824.16 million. The plan is intended to improve transport in rural areas and help develop economic performance. During 2015 alone the programme will see some 17,000km of roads being constructed, costing in the region of $179.76 million. A further 3,300km of roads will be built during 2016 and 2017, costing a

UK firm Zaha Hadid Architects' has won the contract to design the Tamkang Bridge in Taiwan. The award was announced by Taiwan’s Directorate-General of Highways (DGH). The winning design is an asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge supported by a single pylon. The winner was chosen by a committee of 15 members, with designs sent in by US-based, Denmark-based, Germany-based, South Korea-based, Japan-based and Taiwan-based architecture companies. The Tamkang Bridge, which is 900m in length, will be built based on Za

Investigations into tunnel safety in Norway have revealed that there are 148 requiring safety upgrades. The 148 tunnels do not meet current EU safety requirements. The EU's road tunnel safety directive was introduced in 2007 and the deadline for the work to be carried out is April 1st, 2019. The necessary upgrade is estimated to cost €873.82 million.

US-based engineering firm Michael Baker International has received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate several types of fixed-wing and vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft systems. The company said its UAS can capture robust, real-time aerial photographs and video as well as conduct aerial mapping for surveys or site inspections. "Integrating our FAA-certified unmanned aircraft program with our other advanced data collection capabilities allows us to take data

Plans for a cross-continent upgraded road were recently boosted when Chile’s senate approved construction of its share of a major US$1.6 billion tunnel in the Andes Mountains. The Chilean approval comes after the Argentinian government gave the nod in March for construction on its section of the Agua Negra project. A tender for specific design work could be put out by September, according to the Argentinian newspaper Diario de Cuyo. The approvals resolve a number of bilateral issues including taxation

Two contracts have been awarded for work on sections of Poland’s S7 dual carriageway. Contractor Metrostav has won the tender process for the construction of a stretch of the S7 dual carriageway. The 20km section of the route Metrostav has the contract for lies between Gdansk's southern ring-road and Elblag. The value of this project is anticipated as being in the region of €392 million. Meanwhile contractor Budimex was won the package of works for the second section of the S7 dual carriageway. This 19km lo

Work is now underway on the new Zambezi River crossing, which will improve transport links between Botswana and Zambia. The new bridge crosses the river close to the Zambian town of Kazungula and is costing some US$259.3 million to construct. The bridge will be 923m long and will carry both rail and road traffic, with border posts located at either end. The project is being carried out by South Korean contractor Daewoo Engineering and Construction. Financing for the project is being provided by the African

A major new bridge project is planned in Taiwan. The new Danjiang Bridge will cost some US$482.35 million to construct. The project should be complete and open to traffic by the end of 2020. The bridge will be some 12km long in all, with a 900m central section. Work on the project is to be carried out by local firm Sinotech Engineering Consultants in combination with its German partners. In all there were six bids for the project.

Serbia’s Obrenovac-Preljina highway is due to be completed by 2017. Serbia’s Ministry of Construction says that the Obrenovac-Preljina and Ljig-Preljina routes are being financed with the aid of a €274.5 million loan from China's Exim Bank, worth a total of USD 301mn (EUR 274.48mn), while the state budget secured a total of €30.1 million. Meanwhile, €300 million of funding has been secured from Azerbaijan for construction of the Ljig-Preljina route. Corridor 11, between Obrenovac and Preljina will be 105km

Work on Algeria’s long running East-West highway project should be complete by mid-October 2015. The Algerian Ministry for Public Works, has said that the final 120km of road should be ready by mid-October at the latest. This will be the last section of the final stretch of the 1,200km East-West highway to open to traffic. A number of delays have hit work on some sections of the highways due to issues such as technical problems and disputes with contractors. The East-West highway is of major importance for

Norway’s construction industry will continue to expand for five years, with investment in transport infrastructure continuing to drive growth, according to a recent report. The government’s fourth National Transport Plan 2014–2023 calls for a series of new infrastructure projects worth around US$86.5 billion. Nearly 1,300km of new trunk roads and 380km of four-lane motorway will be opened, as noted by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications The overall construction industry’s output va

Work is underway in the Australian city of Adelaide on a US$657 million upgrade of the Torrens Road to River Torrens section of the North-South Corridor. Nearly 500 workers will eventually be on site to upgrade the 3.7km section of road, of which 3km will be made into a non-stop roadway. The project includes a 2km section of non-stop lowered motorway as well as an overpass for the city’s Outer Harbour rail line. Contractors will deliver six intersection upgrades as well as improved cycling and pedestr