Road Structures

A new plan from Slovakia’s Ministry for Transport and Construction will see upgrade work being carried out to 180km of major roads and 60 or more bridges. A finance package of €200 million has been secured for the work, which will be carried out over the next 36 months. This programme of works is being financed by the OP Integrated Infrastructure (OPII) fund. At present, 122km of dual carriageways and motorways are under construction in Slovakia according to the state-owned road firm NDS. Completion of the

Construction is now underway for the 27km Cavite stretch of the Cavite-Laguna-Expressway (CAVEX) project in the Philippines.

Construction work for the fourth bridge crossing over the Panama Canal is expected to commence in late 2019. The project is costing US$1.42 billion and the new bridge will be built by a Chinese contracting consortium comprising China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The 6.5km bridge will feature three lanes in either direction, as well as two light rail tracks.

A major highway widening project is now planned for the M20 route in the Netherland. A budget of €124 million has been set for the work, which will see the stretch between Nieuwekerk aan den IJssel and Gouda being widened. This section features two lanes in either direction at present but the work will see the stretch featuring three lanes in either direction. The work will help reduce congestion and delays for drivers, improving journey times at peak periods.

Calls have been made for the route of Thailand's third western ring road to be changed. Locals in Ayutthaya, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi provinces are petitioning for the project to be diverted. The ring road will be largely elevated and stretch 98km in all. An analysis of the route and the possibility for changes is to be carried out. When complete, the new link will connect Rama II and Ayutthaya.

A new expressway link in the Philippines is now under construction. The US$241.6 million South Luzon Tollway (SLTC) project will feature six separate sections. Work is due for completion in 18 months. The new route will cut journey times on the route between Santo Thomas and Barangay Mayao from three hours at present to just 45 minutes.

Construction work is underway on Vietnam’s North-South highway project. A 654km stretch of the route is being built at present, with this work costing US$5.1 billion. Clearance work for other sections of the North-South highway is due co commence. In mid-2019, construction work is due to start on three sections, while tendering will open for eight PPP projects that will for stretches of the North-South highway.

A project for a 19km stretch of Norway’s E6 highway has been awarded. The work will be carried out by the contractor Hæhre Entreprenør, in partnership with the consultants Dr Ing A Aas Jakobsen Trondheim and Sweco Norge. The deal is worth €420 million (NOK 4 billion) and was awarded by Norway’s state-owned road firm Nye Veier. The new section of highway will connect Kvithammar and Åsen, with construction commencing in 2020 and expected to take until 2025 or 2026 to complete. The work includes driving four n

Construction of New Zealand’s Otaki to Peka Peka expressway is delayed. The route was due to open in 2020 but will not now be complete until 2021. The 13km link will feature four lanes and form part of the Kapiti expressway. The construction of this expressway section is costing US$212.5 million (NZ$330 million).