News

Climbing costs are afflicting the construction of the key Coatzacoalcos tunnel connection in Mexico. Concesionaria Tunel de Coatzacoalcos is the firm handling the construction and concession for the Coatzacoalcos immersed tunnel. The company claims that costs have climbed 150%, from US$153.23-$383.1 million. Concesionaria Tunel de Coatzacoalcos is controlled by Spanish construction firm FCC Construcciones and says that the climbing costs are caused by delays due to the climate, problems purchasing land and

Kuwaiti construction firm Mudeer Contracting Company (Mudeer) is carrying out the five-year contract to operate and maintain a 25km causeway connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The US$44.8 million contract commences in October 2014. Mudeer’s contract also includes operating and maintaining the border control facilities between the countries. The King Fahd Causeway provides and important connection between the countries, carrying over 8 million vehicles in 2013.

In Poland the tendering process is underway for a new dual carriageway project. The project is for another stretch of the S3 dual carriageway, which will link the cities of Legnica with Bolkow. The 36km dual carriageway project will be divided into two sections and the work also includes the construction of service areas. The tenders have to be received by 19th September 2014. The dual carriageway will be of importance to Poland’s industrial output as Legnica is home to some of the country’s larger mining o

Police in Europe have been cracking down on drink driving with a major joint operation in 30 countries. Close to 1.2 million breath tests were carried out as part of this recent European operation. Police forces achieved 1,168,631 roadside breath tests for alcohol, of which 18,391 were positive. Motorists were also checked for drugs in the operation, and 2,976 offences were detected. President of pan-European police body TISPOL Koen Ricour said, “It is disappointing that so many people still think the law

The Philippines is setting major targets for road development in coming years. A planned budget of US$2.59 billion has been set for infrastructure in the city of Luzon for 2015. And the Department of Public Works and Highways plans to pave some 32,227km of the country's national roads by 2016, with only 83% so far having been paved. Some 64.3% of the department's budget will be for repair and construction of highways. Other spending will be allocated for the development of 410km Mindanao road network, which

A new four lane highway is planned in Vietnam, linking the city of Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue Province. This 77km highway is due for completion by 2016. Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport of has awarded build-transfer-operate (BOT) contracts worth some US$540.5 million for the the La Son-Tuy Loan Expressway project.

Plans are in hand in Macedonia for the new highway that will run from Bar to the Serbian border. The Macedonian Government recently held talks with Chinese construction company CRBC with regard to the project. The Chinese contractor is commencing construction once a loan from China’s Exim bank is fully secured. Meanwhile over the border in Serbia, the Ministry of Transport has said that 2014 will see some 60km of new major roads opening to traffic. In 2015 work on another 210km of roads will commence in the

The Russian Government is looking at options with regard to doubling its road construction programme by 2023. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, previously made a decree of doubling the road construction programme with a view to improving and increasing the country’s transport links. To achieve the target set by the president the country will have to build an additional 780km of federal highways and 2,940km of regional roads. The financing for the new highway construction programme has yet to be reveal

The tender process is underway for two major projects in Poland. One project involves constructing three sections of the new southern ring road around Polish capital Warsaw. Building the 18.5km stretch that comprises the three sections is expected to cost in the region of €1.6 billion. The Polish General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) says that bids have to be submitted by 10th October 2014. The A section will be some 4.6km long, the B section 6.45km long, whilst the C section will be

In Oman plans are in hand for a major road widening project. The project calls for the widening of the 715km Adam-Thumrait highway. Local contractor, Ghantoot Transport and General Contracting Establishment (GTGC) made an offer of US$285.7 million for phase one of the project. GTGC also offered $229.9 million for the second phase of the project. Other contractors have submitted bids including Galfar Engineering and Contracting, Strabag Oman, Ozkar Construction Co, Consolidated Contractors Co, Dogus Construc

Watch the video of an explosive highway bridge demolition from the US. A demolition contractor recently removed an old highway bridge in Missouri using explosives. The bridge spanned Interstate 44 but had to be replaced as it no longer met requirements. Having been built in 1960, the bridge was 127mm (5”) too low to meet the current minimum height specification of 4.877m (16’) while it also required repairs to its deck that would have proven costly to implement. A new bridge will be built that meets the hei

The Cambodian Government is benefiting from several financial packages aimed at improving the country’s road network. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a financial support package worth a total of US$118 million that will be used for the Rural Roads Improvement Project II in the country. The package comprises funds from several sources, with a grant worth $5.4 million from the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) and another grant worth $6.67 million from the Australian Government of Australia. It incl

A new road surface is required for the Ile-d'Orleans Bridge in Quebec, Canada. The resurfacing work is needed just four years after the surfacing works were completed. The problem is caused by a combination of the tough winter weather and the age of the bridge, which requires the asphalt to be laid in a much thinner layer than on more recent structures. The thin layer of asphalt is vulnerable to cracking and damage and this has resulted in rapid wear due to the freeze thaw effect. The maintenance work is ex