News

Nepalese Government extends bidding deadline on key highway project
June 24, 2013
The Nepalese Government is extending the deadline for bidding on the Kathmandu-Tarai highway project. The 76km highway is expected to cost in the order of US$853 million to construct and is of crucial importance to improve connectivity in this mountainous country. This is the third time the bidding that the deadline has been extended and is due to the Indian contractors shortlisted to handle the work requesting additional time in which to carry out preparatory studies. The contractors that have been shortli
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Norwegian trucker’s bad overtake on video
June 24, 2013
A truck driver in Norway made a classic mistake when overtaking another vehicle on a blind corner. Luckily no-one was hurt. But as this in-car footage from a Norwegian police vehicle shows, the consequences could have been disastrous. The Norwegian authorities are tough on driving offences and the truck driver will be having good reason to think long and hard about this very careless manoeuvre. This video was made available to World Highways through pan-European police body TISPOL.
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Ecuador’s worryingly high fatal crash rate
June 21, 2013
Ecuador’s shocking high road fatality rate is giving cause for concern. Official statistics compiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggest that Ecuador is second only to Venezuela in Latin America with regard to fatalities on the road network. The WHO figures show that Ecuador has an average of 28 deaths/100,000 inhabitants from road crashes, well above the global average of 18 deaths/100,000 inhabitants. Only Venezuela’s even more startling figure of 37 deaths/100,000 inhabitants is higher in Lati
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Chinese firms now offering all-electric cars
June 21, 2013
Chinese firms Geely Automotive and Kandi have jointly developed an all-electric vehicle. The JL7001BEV model has won official approval from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This is of note as it means Chinese buyers of the vehicle will be able to benefit from several national and local subsidies and incentives for EVs. The new JL7001BEV model is among those on the lists of Approved Vehicles. The Chinese authorities are keen to encourage customers to buy more electric vehicles in a bi
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Teixeira Duarte to build Venezuela motorway project
June 21, 2013
Portuguese construction company Teixeira Duarte has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Venezuela Government formalising the commitment to build the new US$4.4 billion motorway linking Caracas - La Guaria. Of the overall 19km-long motorway link, 9km will be through road tunnels, while another 4km will be built in viaducts with three lanes in each direction. The works should be completed in 54 months. Teixeira Duarte also submitted a technical and economic proposal for the development of another fo
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NSW Australia investing in transport
June 20, 2013
Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Government has outlined its massive transportation investment in the WestConnex project. This will be the largest urban transport project in the history of New South Wales. Some A$1.8 billion will be invested over four years from Restart NSW, the state’s new infrastructure fund. to finance the WestConnex project. And A$111 million will be committed in 2013-14 to get work underway on the 33km motorway. The NSW Government will fund the initial sections of the motorway. Privat
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Merseylink wins US$3.12bn Mersey Gateway Project contract
June 20, 2013
Merseylink was today announced as the preferred bidder for the US$3.12 billion (£2bn) Mersey Gateway Project in North West England. Making the announcement together in the observatory in the Catalyst Museum in Widnes overlooking the River Mersey, Halton Borough Council and Merseylink also confirmed they have jointly identified savings amounting to “tens of millions of pounds” on the projected public sector contribution to the project budget.
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Funds released to repair Skagit Rover Bridge in Washington State
June 19, 2013
Some US$15.6 million in federal emergency funds is being made available to Washington State to help repair the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River, which collapsed on May 23rd 2013. The funds were released by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. A section of the four-lane bridge, located around 100km north of Seattle, collapsed into the water, disrupting travel in both directions. This funding follows $1 million in quick release emergency relief provided the day after the collapse. The Washington
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Rise in percentage of younger UK children involved in road accidents
June 19, 2013
The AXA RoadSafe report shows that although there has been a reduction in the number of children involved in road accidents in the UK in recent years, with the figure now standing at over 2,400 per year, there has been an increase in the proportion of those under the age of five being involved in accidents. Out of the children who are injured or killed, 14% are under the age of five, which compares to just 11% in 2001. This means that more than 300 children under the age of five are being injured or killed
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Work on new stretch of M44 motorway, Hungary from 2014
June 19, 2013
The Hungarian national infrastructure development firm NIF has announced that work on a new stretch of the M44 motorway between Kondoros and Tiszakurt is set to begin in 2014. A public procurement tender for building the 62km route is forecast to be called by NIF in the near future. Investment costs are to be covered from EU funds in line with the country's Transportation Operative Programme (KOZOP) as part of Hungary's New Szechenyi Plan (USZT).
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Rumble strips on Swedish motorways cutting deaths and serious injury
June 19, 2013
A report by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) claims that rumble strips on Swedish roads have reduced the number of accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries. Road edge rumble strips on motorways are said to have reduced accidents resulting in fatality or serious injury by 17% and for single accidents by 30%.
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Improvements being made to key Israeli highway
June 19, 2013
The Israeli Government is working on plans to ease traffic flow between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Improvements are being made to two roads, Highway 443 and Highway 1. The upgrade works for Highway 1 will cost in the region of US$695 million and will be carried out by Israel National Roads/Netivei Israel. The work will see the construction of two new bridges measuring 800m long apiece and featuring three lanes each as well as two 700m tunnels under the Harel Bridge. Also included are new interchanges in Harel,
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Israeli firm wins Nigerian highway deal
June 19, 2013
Israeli firm Solel Boneh has won a major contract in Nigeria to rebuild and widen the highway connecting Lagos with Ibadan. The US$580 million deal was awarded by the Nigerian Government and the contract involves widening the road, rebuilding the Ibadan-Shagamu section of the highway, rebuilding and maintaining 14 overpasses and bridges as well as improving drainage. Lagos and Ibadan are amongst the largest cities in Africa and the highway carries a huge traffic volume, so the upgrade work is crucial. Contr
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AECOM wins major contract in Qatar
June 19, 2013
AECOM Technology Corporation is working on a US$148 million contract for a section of the Doha Expressway project in Qatar. The three year contract is for construction-supervision and design-review services for the Group 7 section of the Doha Expressway. This new highway will connect Al Khor and Mesaieed. The project is for a 168km stretch of highway, which will provide an important link for Doha’s new port and will also help improve the traffic flow for heavy vehicles around the city. The work will include
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The new JCB 417 HT compact wheeled loader
June 18, 2013
With its new cab and single-piece bonnet, the new JCB 417 HT compact wheeled loader certainly looks different to the JCB 416 that it replaces. But there's more to the new model than just aesthetics. Guy Woodford, Assistant Editor of World Highways, took a closer look during JCB’s recent International Press Launch of its 2013 machine range.
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