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The authorities in Algeria are planning major road network upgrades for the country’s Sétif Region. Some US$387.5 million has been budgeted for a programme of works that will see a series of major improvements to National roads that connect Sétif Region to Constantine, Bejaïa and M'sila. The Sétif Region has a road network comprising some 3,560km in total.

China is reported to be willing to fund the construction of the Limon road in Costa Rica, on the condition that a Chinese company is responsible for the key infrastructure project. It is understood that China would grant a 20-year loan of US$ 400 million, with a low interest rate, if their condition is met. The Congress of Costa Rica is expected to decide on the matter in November 2012. The Limon road project involves the expansion from two to four lanes of the 70km road from Rio Frio to Limon, and the dev

Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos has made a pledge to have over 3,200kms of double-lane roads in Colombia by 2018. A total of 1,700km will be built by 2014. Santos has announced 30 infrastructure projects which form part of the fourth round of road concessions. Six tenders involving works worth an estimated US$ 4.44 billion will be launched before the end of this year.

Nurol-Özaltn-Makyol-Astaldi-Yüksel-Göçay consortium says it will provide half of the US$ 2.7 billion required to build Turkey’s new Gebze-Orhangazi-zmir motorway from its own combined funds. The other half of cost will be covered by a bank loan agreement secured by the consortium.

Talks between the Chinese Development Bank and the Serbian Government could result in Chinese funding for Serbian highway projects. The Danube coast project and the Corridor 11 highway project have been identified. Some €400-€450 million of Chinese financing could be made available to Serbia for highway projects following the most recent series of discussions. Serbia’s Ministry for Transport is also in talks with Chinese partners for the construction of a series of highway projects.

A huge investment is planned in a series of road projects in Zambia. The country’s government intends to spend close to US$5.6 billion over the next five years on road construction. Because Zambia has an extensive copper mining industry the country has benefited heavily from strong demand for the metal, particularly from China. As a result it now has the financial resources to help improve the road network. The Zambian Government has also committed itself to building 2,300km of roads and spending $1.56 bill

Two major awards have been given to the Gateway Upgrade Project in Queensland, Australia. One of these was for engineering excellence while the other was the overall RW Hawken Award. These were given as part of the Engineering Australia Awards Queensland Division) scheme. Following this, the Gateway Project will now be a contender for the national Australian Engineering Excellence Awards being held in November 2012.

Work is progressing on track for construction of the new highway linking Albania’s capital Tirana with the city of Elbasan. The Albanian Public Works Ministry expects the Tirana-Elbasan highway to be opened in the second quarter of 2013. Contractors Aktor and Copri are working on the project and most of the major engineering work has been completed. The project is being funded by backers including the Islamic Bank of Development and the OPEC Fund, as well as the Albanian Government.

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is holding a massive mining and earthmoving equipment auction tomorrow, on the second day of the Grand Opening auction at its new permanent auction site in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. More than 1,700 heavy equipment items will be featured in the Raleigh-Durham auction, including more than 300 pieces of mining and earthmoving equipment.

A feasibility study has been completed for a new six-lane highway linking the Algerian port of Oran with the East-West highway. The preliminary study was carried out by Canadian company SM International while the feasibility study was undertaken by French firm INGEROP International. Algeria’s Government is investing US$253.4 million in the project, which will include upgrades to surrounding roads to relieve traffic congestion in the area. The project will require extensive earthmoving, excavation and reinfo

A lack of sufficient road maintenance poses future problems for Belgium’s road network. Unless investment is made, the Belgian road network will become overcrowded and dilapidated by 2020. Belgium's Planning Office says that this could result in travel speeds falling 29% from 2008 to 2030 due to congestion and with a corresponding rise in journey times.

In Malaysia the government is setting aside a budget for a major package of road construction works in Sabah. The three new road upgrades will help ease traffic congestion at peak periods and the Works Ministry plans to open the tender process shortly. Some US$ 196.5 million will be spent on improving the 42km road that connects Jalan Dongongon and Simpang Papar. A budget of $140.8 million has been set for upgrades to the 81.5km road connecting Tawau and Semporna.