News

The Canadian government has awarded a multi-billion dollar contract for the Champlain Bridge in Montreal, in the province of Quebec, to a consortium led by SNC-Lavalin. The firm, based in Montreal, will design, build, maintain and operate the toll bridge under a 35-year public-private partnership deal worth between US$2.5-$4.1 billion. The consortium called Signature on the Saint-Lawrence Group includes Spanish firms Dragados Canada and ACS Infrastructures and the US firm Flatiron Construction. Other

The new Luanda corridor project in Angola will receive funding worth in excess of US$216 million. Phase two of this project to build new corridors for public transportation in Luanda Province is due to commence shortly. The $14.1 million contract to supervise the project will be handled by DAR Angola. Meanwhile Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht has a $202.6 million contract to build the new transport corridors.

A series of major highway projects are in planning for Indonesia. A joint venture comprising Waskita Karya and Jasa Marga is now taking over Solo-Kertonoso Toll Road project. This follows a move by Thiess Contractor Indonesia (Thiess), which sold its 95% equity in the Solo-Kertonoso Toll Road project to the joint venture for US$33.65 million. Construction is commencing in May 2015. The 177.7km road, which is to be built as part of the Trans Java Highway, will link the cities of Kertonoso and Solo via Ngawi

Key road project tenders for the state of Tamil Nadu in India have now been awarded. The three project tenders are worth a total of US$117.1 million. The work relates to upgrading major routes in the state and work will be carried out in 36-42 months-time. The tenders involve upgrades of the Malliyakarai to Rasipuram, Thiruchengode and Erode Road, Arcot Villipuram Road and Kanchipuram to Vandavasi Road.

Fence sitting can prove risky, image courtesy of World Highways reader Giacomo Goretti

Asphalt Burner Services (ABS), the Northern Irish designers and manufacturers of energy-efficient asphalt burners, have recently installed a Vulcan dual-fuel and natural gas burner for FP McCann, one of the region’s leading civil engineering, construction and building companies.

Delays are afflicting construction of a new highway that will connect with Algeria’s key East-West highway. The problems focus on the new highway being built to join Béjaïa with the East-West highway. The US$1.02 billion highway project was originally planned for completion by June 2016. However a shortage of construction workers from the local area for the 5,000 or so required means that personnel will have to be recruited from further afield, whether Algeria or neighbouring countries. Delays are also bein

The French Government is announcing a series of key investments for highways in Ile-de-France. The €810 million programme will target updates to highways and expressways not currently covered by concessions in Ile-de-France. The aim of the policy is to boost mobility, improve traffic flow, cut noise pollution and to provide reserved lanes for buses and taxis. The financing of this programme will come from the State-region plan.

A Landmark utilities connection agreement sees CEMEX reduce operational expenditure and CO2 emissions through innovative third-party investment solution from Decarbon Capital.

A new road company is being established in Norway. The country’s government made the decision to form the new firm, which will be responsible for seven major road projects in Norway in the coming 20 years. It will be financed by government subsidies and road tolls. Some €15.35 billion will be used by the company. Planned projects include different sections on the E39, E18 and E6 roads. The Norwegian Standing Committee on Transport and Communications (Transport- og kommunikasjonskomiteen) said that the new c

Vulcan Burners are enjoying continued success with proven results; the Vulcan burner has become the number one choice for major asphalt producers. With the successful implementation of burner replacement programs, our customers have effectively reduced their fuel costs and lower emissions.

The state government of Maharashtra in India has named BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as preferred bidder for construction of Mumbai’s Coastal Freeway worth around US$1.36 billion. The 35.6km freeway, subject to clearance from the central government in New Delhi, will run from Mumbai’s business district, called Nariman Point, to the northern suburb of Kandivli. Coastal Freeway, which runs beside the sea, on reclaimed lands, landfill sites and some small bridges, is the alternative to the mor

The state government of Victoria in Australia will pay the East West Connect consortium US$258 million to cancel construction of Melbourne’s East West Link road tunnel. The payoff is to cover the consortium's bidding, design and pre-construction costs and draw a line under the deal that has been mired in financial controversy for years. The federal government slammed Victoria’s decision to bail out of the project as “an obscenity’’ that will cost 7000 jobs, according to a report in The Australian news

Major problems have been seen on the M3 motorway link in Mauritius. A section of the motorway has collapsed, causing delays and frustration for drivers using the route. Insufficient drainage has been noted as one of the problems afflicting the M3 motorway between Ripailles and Valton.

Colombia's national agency for infrastructure, Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (ANI), has announced the second wave of 4G motorway projects made of nine projects that will require US$5.64 billion. Four proposals were received for the first of these projects, the Puerta de Hierro-Palmar de Varela-Cruz del Vizo motorway, a 202km road will require around $470 million. L:ast November World Highways reported that a major programme of PPP road construction concession contracts is due for Colombia. It wa