News

Major cost increases are expected for the 1,250km Autopistas de la Montana highways project in Colombia. According to local company ISA, the cost of the project will exceed the projected US$3.5 billion. However the new links are expected to offer better transport connections and boost travel speeds.

Work is now underway in Bangladesh on the country's new Dhaka Elevated Expressway. The construction work is being carried out by Italian-Thai Development and the project is expected to help address Dhaka's chronic traffic congestion issues.

The tender process is opening for Israel's Road 531 project, which will link Tel Aviv with Sharon. The highway contract will form part of the country's largest ever road project, according to the Israel National Roads Company.

Plans are in hand in the Ukraine's Crimea area for a new 93km highway. This route will connect Gvardeyskoe, Gluboky Yar and Yalta and will include a 7km section of tunnel running under Mount Ai-Petri. The project is expected to cost in the region of US$1.5 billion (€1.04 billion) to construct.

Carillion has been awarded a US$16 million contract to transform another section of the UK’s M6 in Birmingham, between Junctions 5 and 8, into a managed motorway.

Urban mobility is high on the infrastructure agenda in Mexico. While highways continue to be a priority, capital Mexico City and other large cities across the country are looking to implement mass transport systems such as bus rapid transit (BRT) lines.

The tender process for the A355 western Strasbourg bypass in France is nearing completion and the winner will be announced shortly. The 24km highway stretch is expected to take 52 months to build and will cost some €750 million while for the moment at least, Vinci Concessions is the preferred bidder. The 55 year contract includes design, financing, construction and operation and maintenance.

The Moroccan Government is increasing its investment in roads and highways by 21% from last year. The country intends to spend US$6.32 billion on improving the road network. A further $14.5 billion is expected from private sources and other funding bodies. Work on the El Jadida-Safi highway project will commence in 2012 and is expected to cost $497million. Work on the Tit Mellil-Berrechid highway section will cost $152.55 million. The authorities in Morocco are now assessing 13 bids submitted in the tender

Late in 2010 Macquarie Mexican Infrastructure Fund (MMIF), the first peso-denominated fund focused solely on investment opportunities in Mexican infrastructure projects, completed the acquisition of a northern Mexico highway package.

More than 1,600 people took part in four days of transport research topic discussion at the TRA2012 conference in Athens, Greece. The event between 23-26 April included a special focus on infrastructure, with large numbers of FEHRL (Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories) members taking part in different sessions. One key strategic session titled ‘Infrastructure for the 21st century’ was moderated by Hans Jeekel (Rijkswaterstaat) and featured Marit Brandtsegg from Statens Vegvesen (NPRA) a

Telvent GIT has been awarded a contract by the Transcity JV, with Brisbane City Council as the end customer, to implement the ITS for Legacy Way (formerly Northern Link) in Australia. Legacy Way is a 4.6km road tunnel that will connect Brisbane’s western and inner northern suburbs, delivering travel time savings of up to 44 per cent when it opens. The ITS contract is valued at around US$32 million.

Austrian construction company Strabag SE has issued a US$131.8million (€100million) corporate bond. The fixed-interest bond has a term to maturity of seven years and a coupon of 4.25 % per annum. A Strabag spokesperson said the bond issue had already been met with great interest among institutional investors. It is also available for subscription to Austrian, German and Luxembourgian private investors until 8 May, 2012. With a face value of US$1,318 (€1,000), the bond is targeted not only at institutional

The state Government in New South Wales (NSW), Australia is making a major investment designed to boost road safety. Some US$156 million (A$170 million) is being set aside.

A US$4 billion bypass contract has been signed in Hong Kong. The deal for the Central-Wan Chai Bypass project has been agreed by the Hong Kong Highways Department with the joint venture Chun Wo-CRGL-MBEC.

Manitou Group president Jean-Christophe Giroux said 2012 would be the year of “Refoundation” for the Group after it recorded a 19% rise in revenue in the first quarter of the year to US$416.6million (€316million). Growing revenue, sustained order intake and high backlog had, said Giroux, given Manitou a great platform for the coming year and beyond. “Things are undoubtedly getting more and more difficult in Southern Europe but Northern Europe, the US, and Asia are showing resilient signs for positive busine