News

The Mineta Transportation Institute (transweb.sjsu.edu) has published a report that leverages literature review and case studies in the San Francisco Bay area and Portland OR to recommend ways to improve safety for bicycle commuters. Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety includes chapters on risks, application of social psychology to bike safety, dimensions of effective practices, and more. The report also includes illustrative tables and photos. Principal investigator was Asbjorn Osland, Ph.D., with several ch

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has been selected to design and supervise deployment of technology infrastructure for a US Department of Transportation (US DoT) pilot programme to study the potential of operating connected vehicles on the streets and highways of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Called the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment project, the $15 million research effort is being undertaken by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and its partners on behalf of the US DoT.

Redflex Traffic Systems in the US has announced its latest innovation, Student Guardian, designed to curb dangerous driving behaviours and enforce traffic laws on school bus routes. The safety camera system is installed on the front and rear driver’s side of a school bus. It monitors traffic while the stop arm of the bus is displayed, leaving the driver free to focus on students. Data supporting possible violations, including high-definition video and high-resolution images of licence plates and drivers, is

New research in Spain that explored solutions to reducing traffic noise suggests that the best option is to combine global measures, such as speed restrictions, and local measures, such as noise screens.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF) is launching a new awards programme to recognise innovations in transportation. The aim is to highlight developments that further improve the US infrastructure network for those who pay for it, use it and rely on it. The TransOvation Awards honour innovative transportation infrastructure-related products, services, technologies and techniques introduced over the past five years that provide a high retur

The bauma China event planned for November 2012 is now setting a new exhibitor record. Over 1,900 companies have already applied to exhibit at the International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Construction Vehicles and Equipment. This surpasses the 1,892 exhibitors who took part in the last bauma China. The event is to be held between November 27 and 30, 2012 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Demand for space on the open-air site far currently exceeds

Great Wall Motor has become the first Chinese carmaker to open an assembly plant in Europe as it aims to lift sales in the region and, according to a company statement, is also a symbolic event for Chinese auto brands to challenge the high-end market car in the EU. The assembly plant, inaugurated this week in Bulgaria, has a production capacity of 50,000 cars and the Voleex C10 will be the first assembled model, followed by the Wingle 5, Voleex C20R, and Haval.

Dynalectric Los Angeles, a subsidiary of Emcor Group, has been awarded a contract for the Coliseum/Florence region for the automated traffic surveillance and control (ATSAC) project for the city of Los Angeles.

The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways aims to restore roads of up to 31,230km during the 2012 financial year.

According to figures from Dutch automotive association and tourism group ANWB, traffic congestion, which is measured by the length of jams multiplied by the length of time of the jam, decreased 27 per cent in the Netherlands in 2011, compared to the averarage across the last five years.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has called on the British government to include measures to boost road and rail network investment in next month’s budget. ICE says the budget, set to be unveiled on 21 March, 2012, needs to encourage pension funds to invest in UK infrastructure projects. The government plans to establish an investment vehicle to pool pension fund assets for new projects under the National Infrastructure Plan. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) estimates that upgrading the U

Italian consortium Nogara Mare is reportedly the favoured bidder in the contract worth around US$2.52billion for the construction and management of the new Nogara-Mare Adriatico motorway in Italy. The motorway will be over 100km long and link the Autobrennero with coastal areas. Nogara Mare was created by Confederazione delle Autostrade, the company promoting the project, with 23% of its ownership belonging to the Italian group Astaldi.

The Danish government has shelved the plans for a road toll scheme for Copenhagen. The decision has been welcomed by opposition parties, and the government is now set increase funding for public transport so that ticket prices can be reduced. However, full details of the increased financing of public transport are yet to be disclosed. A government appointed expert committee will also study how to reduce congestion.

Vinci has won the contract to create the greater Strasbourg western beltway. Sanef was not selected to build the 24km toll motorway despite a lower bid of US$529.8million, as opposed to $661.7million for Vinci. Subventions requested by Sanef were also lower at $26.4million, as opposed to $43.6million for Vinci. The land granted to Vinci for the project is 100 hectares more than Sanef's bid. The offices of the French President and Prime Minister are reported to have played a role in the choice of Vinci for t

A total of 1,314 American children aged 14 and under died in US road crashes in 2009, according to new research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA said 179,000 injuries had also been caused to the same child age group following 2009 crashes. The agency says safety seats in passenger cars had been found to reduce the risk of crash deaths for children of four-years-old and below by 54%, and infants by 71%.