News

A consortium of contractors will carry out construction work on Arizona’s Red Mountain Highway project. The Pulice-Granite consortium includes Pulice, a subsidiary of Spanish firm ACS. The US$109.2 million contract involves the design and construction of a 30.4km stretch of the State Route 202, Red Mountain Highway. Two sections of the highway, which runs around the city of Phoenix, have been constructed and one remains to be built, having been subject to various delays.

A major programme of infrastructure investment in Mexico is seeing the country developing 46 highway projects that are due for completion in 2018. The country’s transport and communications ministry (SCT) says that 28 of the highway projects are under construction at present, while eight were completed recently and work on a further seven will commence before the end of 2014. This programme of works forms part of the National Infrastructure Plan (PNI). In all, the programme for the 46 highways is worth arou

The authorities in India have revealed that a series of major road projects are commencing. Plans are in hand for the new Biju Expressway project, which is costing close to US$528 million. The project will deliver a new corridor between Rourkela and Jagdalpur, connecting the four Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput districts of Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nawrangpur and Koraput with four districts of western Odisha; Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Bargarh. The first phase is for the upgrading of a 402km stretch of roa

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) says that US construction machinery exports dropped 17.3% during the first half of 2014 compared with the same period for 2013. In all some US$8.93 billion in exports were shipped to global markets compared to $10.8 billion for first-half of 2013, according to US Department of Commerce data. The AEM off-road equipment manufacturing trade group produces global trends reports using US Commerce Dept. information to assist members’ business planning.

The UK has major plans to invest in road infrastructure. In all some 1,440 lane km of road capacity will be added to the strategic highway network of England and Wales by 2021. This boost comes from an investment of €30.565 billion (£24 billion), the biggest since the 1970s – which will see annual funding for improvements to motorways and major A roads triple over the next 6 years.

Balfour Beatty is selling its Parsons Brinckerhoff business to WSP Global for US$1.3525 billion (£820 million). Part of the agreement is that $110 million (£67 million) being retained within Parsons Brinckerhoff. With the acquisition of Parsons Brinckerhoff, WSP becomes one of the world’s largest professional services firms. The deal increases WSP’s presence across global emerging markets in Asia and Australasia as well as providing opportunities in the UK market, where Parsons Brinckerhoff is well-establis

The Croatian Government is prioritising infrastructure spending in a bid to improve transport connections throughout the whole country.

Brazil has ambitious plans for further investments in infrastructure. The country’s national transport confederation, CNT, recently published the fifth edition of its Transport and Logistics Plan with proposals for no less than 2,045 projects considered priorities. The aim is to boost the country’s infrastructure and transport and the programme of works looks likely to cost up to US$431.68 billion. The study notes that the majority of the current infrastructure is obsolete and does not satisfy demand. The p

Russian contractors are working on plans to build the new Kerch Strait bridge crossing. The project to build the bridge and the necessary access roads looks likely to cost some US$6.85 billion, political considerations aside. The planned bridge would connect Sevastopol with Krasnodar. Contractor Stroytransgaz looks likely to handle the project, with other firms being brought in as specialist sub-contractors. Financing for the project has yet to be sourced, with sanctions against certain Russian companies li

A new road tolling plan will help cut congestion in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has a US$1.8 billion project proposed to expand toll lanes for sections of Interstates I-25 and I-70. The project will address sections of the east segment of I-25 and to a stretch of I-70 as this is seen as the best way to tackle congestion in this area of the network. The plan would cover the I-70 corridor north of downtown Denver. CDOT hopes to borrow the necessary US$1.2 billion funding from th

The tender process for a major highway project in Brazil attracted only one offer. The tender concerns a 66km stretch of the northern metropolitan road in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State. The offer came from the Rota Metropolitana Norte consortium, comprising Odebrecht TransPort with a 60% share and EcoRodovias and Barbosa Mello Participacoes e Investimentos with 20% each. The deal has yet to be confirmed. Once signed, the contract will be valid for 30 years with the possibility that it could be then ext

The project to construct Bosnia’s Corridor Vc highway is on track, with completion scheduled for 2020. So far some 6km of the highway has been built, which includes a 3km tunnel stretch. In all the Corridor Vc project calls for the construction of a 330km highway. The Bosnian motorway company, Autoceste Federacije BiH, has not so far revealed the cost of the project however.

Successful talks have been held between Chile and Argentina with regard to the Agua Negra Tunnel that will link the two countries. The project looks set to cost US$1.37 billion to construct, according to Business News Americas. The majority of the planned route, 72%, lies in Argentina and the country will provide the bulk of the funding required; some $986 million. Chile will provide the remaining $384 million. The agreement was struck between the Publics Works Ministries of the two countries. Further detai