News

A new strategy aimed at reducing pedestrian deaths is being introduced in the US. The move was introduced by US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and includes a new set of tools to help communities combat the rising number of pedestrian deaths. As part of the campaign, the Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is providing US$2 million in pedestrian safety grants to cities with the highest rate of pedestrian deaths. Along with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the

Work is now starting on the first construction phase of US Route 219 from Somerset to Meyersdale in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The project will see the route widened to four lanes, with the work being constructed through three main contracts and taking an estimated five years to build. The project is expected to improve safety along a 17km stretch of US219. The work includes two new interchanges, one at the Mason Dixon Highway and the other at Mud Pike. The project was originally conceived in the 1970s

Delays now look likely to affect the construction programme for Chile’s Chacao Bridge project. The US$740 million bridge project, long in planning, has been delayed on previous occasions for a number of reasons. The tolled link will connect Chiloé Island with the Chilean mainland in its Region X once complete. This 2.6km link will become South America’s largest suspension bridge although its opening will reduce journey times considerably over 25-45 minutes taken by the ferries used at present to link with C

Of all the fast-growing economies of the Arabian Gulf region, Saudi Arabia is by far the largest in terms of population and gross national product. Due to rising oil prices and increased foreign investments, Saudi Arabia's national economy has grown exponentially over the last ten years - having doubled in size since 2002 to $481.6bn. With a surface area of 2,150,000km2 (roughly equivalent to one quarter of the surface area of the continental United States), Saudi Arabia has a much greater need for high

The outgoing president of Europe’s largest engineering body is calling for more universities to give small and medium sized businesses open access to the intellectual property (IP) that they create. Professor Andy Hopper CBE is making the plea as he prepares to step down after his one-year term as president of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). “Tax payers are already funding the creation of innovative intellectual property in our universities, so it seems reasonable that more of t

Electric car maker Tesla looks set to agree new battery supply deals for its vehicles. South Korean company Samsung SDI Japanese firm Panasonic and Chinese automotive company BYD have all been named as suppliers of lithium ion batteries. Whether all three firms will supply batteries to Tesla has not yet been revealed. Testing of a Tesla vehicle with new lithium ion batteries is to start shortly however.

Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Melanie Schultz van Haegen wants all building contractors to use LED lights in the construction and renovation of tunnels in the Netherlands. The Minister said she will include this as a functional condition in contracts. Schultz van Haegen has stressed how LED lights consume less energy while emitting more light, making them a better option for lighting in tunnels.

Italian state-controlled road group ANAS has drawn a series of tenders worth over €120 million combined to improve road safety for extraordinary maintenance works on tunnels, bridges and viaducts on 25,000 kilometres of motorway and road network nationwide. The tenders involve 13 regions, including: €35.1 million for works in Basilicata; €29.3 million for Tuscany; €14.4 million for Marche; €11.6 million for Lazio; €8 million for Emilia-Romagna; €5.2 million for Campania; €4 million for Piedmont; €3.8 mi

The Chinese city of Kunming has increased spending on transport by 28.86% to almost US$1.8 billion (CNY 10.99 billion) in the first half of 2013, compared to the same period of 2012. According to the Kunming Traffic Transport Bureau, who disclosed the investment rise, the total included $1.71 billion (CNY 10.59 billion) spent on airport facilities, urban rail transports and key city and provincial projects, and $8.66 million (CNY 53.42 million) on rural roads.

Plans are moving forward for the construction of a new highway tunnel under the River Elbe in Germany. The 6.5km tunnel will form part of the A20 autobahn linking Bad Segeberg and Bremerhaven. The tunnel will be constructed Glückstadt and Drochtersen and a section of the A26 autobahn that connects with the busy port city of Hamburg. The project is expected to cost some €2 billion to construct. Bids are already being submitted, including an offer by French firm Vinci using the PPP model and intended to share

A major programme of infrastructure investment is planned for Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. The five year plan will see some US$8.17 billion being spent over the next five year period. Road construction has been identified as a top priority by the Ethiopian Government. Investment in roads will increase by 76% over the $1.64 billion spent in the previous five year period.

Agreements are being reached that will see Pan-European enforcement of driving regulations. Drivers will now face being penalised for any offences committed in other European countries. The change is due on 7th November 2013. After this date EU Member States will commence the cross border exchange of data relating to road traffic offences. For this scheme to work, eight offences have been listed in the data exchange programme. These are; speeding, not using a seatbelt, red light running, drink driving, driv

The Republic of Congo government wants to create 3,000km of tarmac roads in the country by 2015, compared to the present 1,675km, to aid the mobility of people and goods in the country and encourage trade growth. If the goal is reached, it will increase national tarmac coverage from 9.5% to 16%. The Republic of the Congo has a national road network of 17,300km, including 9,522km of rural roads, 2,333km of regional roads, and 5,445km of national roads. The country implemented a national transport plan in 201