News

ITS America and Southwest Research Institute are once again sponsoring the Annual Student Essay Competition for the 2012 ITS America Annual Meeting & Exposition, which is being held in Washington D.C. on 21-23 May, 2012. Designed to encourage student interest and future participation in the development of ITS and solutions, the objective of the essay competition is to provide an opportunity for today’s transportation and engineering students to apply their knowledge in a thought-provoking and enjoyable c

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has announced that 32 firms submitted responses to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDoT) Request for Information regarding the operation and integration of the state's transportation operations centres (TOCs). VDoT operates five TOCs across the commonwealth that monitor traffic conditions via cameras and other technology, providing traveller information on road conditions and coordinating congestion management and incident response. “I am extremely pleased wit

Using smartphones for social networking while driving is more dangerous than drink driving or being high on cannabis behind the wheel according to research published by the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) in the UK. Despite this, eight per cent of drivers admit to using smartphones for email and social networking while driving. Twenty-four per cent of 17-24 year old drivers, a group already at higher risk of being in a crash, admit to using smartphones for email and social networking while driving.

Kapsch TrafficCom has concluded an agreement with leading French toll service provider Axxès for the supply of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology on-board units (OBUs) and central solutions for the French Ecotaxe project. This is a nationwide distance-based truck charging system to be implemented on 15,000km of French roads from mid-2013 onwards. The contract value is over US$33 million. "This is the largest win in the GNSS technology in the history of Kapsch TrafficCom," says André Lau

Dalian city in China has set out a budget worth some US$2.3 billion for 45 key projects in 2012. The projects include the construction of 300km of rural roads and 254km of trunk roads. Two highway construction projects stretching over 55km are also included and these are Zhuanghe-Gaizhou expressway and Dalian Bay Port area expressway. Meanwhile, Bohai Avenue construction will be fully kicked off, and Changshan bridge's main section is to be completed within 2012.

Plans are in hand in Russia for a new bridge spanning the Kuban River in Krasnodar. The 300m bridge will carry four lanes of traffic when it is complete over the Kuban River. The design work for the bridge is expected to be complete in spring 2013. The new bridge will help reduce congestion as the current Yablonovsky Bridge features just two lanes. It was designed to handle 6,000 vehicles/day but is instead carrying up to 30,000 vehicles/day.

A stakeholder workshop is being organised by the SATIE project, which is co-funded by the European Commission through the 7th Framework Programme for Research. The workshop will be held following this year’s Transport Research Arena in Athens on the 26th April 2012and from 14:00 – 18:00. The free workshop is being targeted at those delegates interested in research, innovation and deployment of ITS technologies. The workshop will help explore options to design, develop and deploy a major new Europe-wide init

The Japanese SE Group is working on a new road project in Vietnam. The 25km highway is costing some US$476 million to construct, with some 60% of the funding coming from the JBIC Bank and SE Group providing around 20%. The rest of the funding will be provided by official development assistant capital. This new road will provide a link from the city of Halong in Vietnam's Quang Ninh province to the Hanoi-Haiphong highway project.

Contracts worth in excess of US$ 436 million are now being awarded in Oman for a series of road improvements and upgrades. One notable deal is for the installation of safety barriers along the Qurayat-Sur road, while another is for the annual maintenance of dirt roads in Dakhiliyah, Musandam along with Sharqiyah North and South between 2012 and 2015. The Tender Board of Oman also awarded a contract for the construction of Al Batinah South Expressway.

Sandvik Mining and Construction has launched a new breaker and mobile crushing plant at INTERMAT. The stand also emphasizes the company’s commitment to manufacturing and supporting both products and customers in an environmentally sustainable manner. The BR1533 hydraulic breaker weighs 870kg and is suitable for carriers in the 10 to 20tonne range. With an impact rate of 550 to 1050 blows per minute, the BR1533 features Sandvik’s Fixed Blow Energy system that ensures optimum impact energy with every blow, re

Distributor Cap Minerals is showing the latest model of the V12 dust controller, whose manufacturer is EmiControls by TechnoAlpin. Applications include working with primary crushers and stockpiles as well as in construction and demolition. The machine can be put on wheels or even mounted on a tower. The V12 sends out a fine water spray to keep the dust down and it can control dust across a distance of up to 50m, said Cap Minerals. The high-performance fan oscillates vertically and horizontally for optimum c