Road Structures

Three new expressway projects are planned for China's Hubei Province. Building the new links will cost US$2.17 billion. One of the projects is for a 47.6km link of the route running from Zaoyang to Qianjiang and featuring two lanes in either direction. Another project is for a 24.9km stretch of the route from Qichun to Taihu, again with two lanes in either direction. The third project is for a 61.9km stretch of the route from Qianli to Jiangling.

Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has said that the Kerch Bridge now looks likely to open to traffic in December 2018. In addition to the bridge, the highway connections should also be complete within the same timeline. The Kerch Strait bridge crossing is of key importance to the area and will help reduce journey times for drivers, as well as reducing transport costs considerably. Construction has not been without its challenges due in part to the fierce winter conditions. This is not the first

A consortium of Colombian construction companies, Concesionaria Desarrollo Vial al Mar (Devimar), is to build the new in Autopista al Mar 1 highway. This 176km link is expected to cost US$790.5 million to build, connecting Medellin with Santa Fe de Antioquia. The new highway will cut journey times on the route by 20-30 minutes, boosting transport for the region. The project is complex and involves the construction of no less than 39 bridges, of which 26 will be situated between the 4.6km Tunel de

The East-West highway connection project in Auckland is proving controversial. Several community groups are lodging appeals against the US$1.37 billion (NZ$1.85 billion) project, despite it having been approved recently by the New Zealand: Government. The groups appealing against the highway link project now include Jackson Electrical, Mercury Energy, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, iwi Ngati Whatua and The Onehunga Enhancement Society (TOES).

Road construction work is planned for Russia’s Kaliningrad region. A budget of US$130 million has been set, with the funding being supplied by Russia’s Federal Government. The prime beneficiary of this funding will be the project to construct the second phase of the ring road around the Primorsky area.

Work is now complete for the second phase of the Mountain View Corridor project in the US state of Utah. The 4km greenfield roadway runs from 5400 South to 4100 South in West Valley City. The project was designed and built jointly by Michael Baker International, Ralph L Wadsworth and Staker Parsons. Phase two of the Mountain View Corridor project included 14 mainline bridges, as well as seven pedestrian bridges and intersection reconstruction, and vital safety improvements to accommodate growth in Salt Lake

A new bridge is being built to connect Serny Island in St Petersburg. The bridge will feature three lanes of traffic in either direction, as well as pedestrian and cycling facilities. The bridge pylons have been constructed and the cable stays are being installed. The work is costing US$150.4 million.

A proposal has been put forward for wither a tunnel or bridge link crossing for the Long Island Sound. The crossing would cut journey times between Westchester County and Nassau County and Suffolk County by 30 minutes to just 60 minutes. However the estimated cost of the work could make it one of the most costly infrastructure projects for the US. Funding sources are being sought at present.

Brazil’s roads are in increasing need of repairs, but with no money available to spend on infrastructure upgrade, the Brazilian Government is having to take a different approach. The responsibility for key road sections will be handed over to private firms that will then be tasked with maintenance and repair work. Typical duties will include filling potholes and updating signalling systems. However this system will not provide additional funds for upgrading dual lane roads to dual carriageway status or for