Road Structures

The project to build the Chacao Bridge in Chile will now be managed fully by South Korean Contractor Hyundai. The firm formed a consortium, Consorcio Puente Chacao, with Brazilian contractor OAS to build the bridge. However OAS later hit financial issues, so Hyundai has now assumed full control of the project. The new bridge will connect the mainland with Chiloe Island and will be designed to cope with potentially extreme conditions. The area has suffered some of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded

A major highway project is now underway in China. Construction work has commenced for the 169km Huzhou stretch of the Hangzhou City Highway. This section of the new route will feature 19 interchanges as well as four service area. In all the work is expected to cost US$6.55 billion to construct.

Construction work is commencing shortly for Moscow’s Central Ring Road (CRR) project. The new route should be ready for traffic in 2019-2020. The contract for the stretch of the route lying between the M4 Don and the M7 Volga highway is being awarded. In all the CRR will measure 530km long and is expected to cost US$5.43 billion to construct.

Two major infrastructure projects in Bangladesh are experiencing rather different fates at present. A lack of suitable funding has resulted in the US$705 million Karnaphuli river tunnel project coming to a grinding halt. However the $1.53 billion contract for the Dhaka to Ashulia highway has now been awarded to the Chinese firm, China National Machinery Import and Export Corp (CMC). Chinese funding is intended to pay for the Karnaphuli Tunnel, but has so far been delayed and the Chinese contractor awarded

Morocco’s road development programme is continuing with the announcement of plans for new motorway projects and upgrades. The country’s motorway company, ADM, will spend US$366.8 million on building a new motorway link from Berrechid to Tit Mellil and also to add lanes to the Casablanca to Berrechid connection. The latter will help reduce congestion at peak periods and improve journey times for users. New automated tolling systems are also being introduced on the country’s motorway network.

A series of major road projects is being carried out in Panama. The Santiago-David road is being upgraded at present. The work has been split into five sections, with the entire project expected to cost US$1.08 billion. The plans are now being drawn up for the 40km section connecting San Juan and La Pita. This stretch of the project will cost $218.26 million to carry out.

Concern is being expressed over official reports in Norway that 1,087 of Norway’s 16,971 bridges are in need of repairs. The structures in question feature damage that is considered substantial enough to affect their load capacity or safety. The reports also reveal that just eight of the country’s bridges have been inspected since 2013. Norway’s Public Road Administration (Statens Vegvesen) has the task of inspecting the country’s bridges and ensuring they meet requirements. However there are concerns over

Two new road tunnel links and a new multi level interchange will be constructed in Oman. These tunnel sections will run under the Bidbid-Sur road and will boost safety for road users by giving protection from potential landslides. One 600m long tunnel will be built in Nidab town and the other tunnel will be 450m long and will be built in Wadi Al Aqa. Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) is managing the work.

Several major highway projects are being planned for Vietnam. The largest is for the construction of the North-South Expressway, which will improve transport connections for the country. Financing is being secured for the North-South Expressway, with some US$5.23 billion being secured. The Vietnamese Government will pay up to 39% of the cost of the work, with loans and private sector funding paying for the remaining 61%. Meanwhile a South Korean contractor will carry out a series of road projects in Can