Road Structures

Construction work is commencing on a key contract in Malaysia to build a new bridge. The US$106.4 million project is being handled by the contractor Naza EC and is for the construction of the 1.5km long Bagan Datuk Bridge, as well as an 8.7km long link road. The work is intended to improve transport connections between Malaysia’s Bagan Datuk, Perak Tengah, and Manjung districts. Once complete, the new link will reduce journey times for drivers from one hour at present to just 15 minutes.

A major highway project in the US state of Vriginia has been awarded to a joint venture team comprising Granite Construction, Parsons Corporation, and Corman Construction. The firms will handle the Interstate 64 (I-64) Southside Widening and High Rise Bridge, Phase 1 design-build contract, which was awarded by the Virginia Department of Transportation. Construction work for the US$410 million joint venture project is scheduled to commence in November 2017 and should be completed in July 2021.

A new bypass project in the Philippines will benefit from funding being supplied by Japan. The Bulacan Bypass project will be located on Luzon Island and will improve transport connections to and from the Bulacan area, lying to the northeast of the capital Manila. The new bypass road will connect Central Luzon to Metro Manila. Once the route is open to traffic, it is expected to improve journey times and cut congestion for drivers. The complete financing package has yet to be agreed between the two

Construction work on Russia’s Frunzensky Bridge is now well under way. The bridge spans the Samara River, a tributary of the Volga River and was originally planned for completion by 2018. The construction company Stroytransgaz has a US$213.5 million contract to finish the project and the bridge is now expected to be ready for traffic by 2020. The bridge project did face challenges from insufficient funding and cost increases but the necessary financing package is now in place. When complete the bridge is in

The preparatory work is underway for a stretch of the Ipswich Motorway widening project in Queensland Australia. The project is worth around US$318.6 million (A$400 million). This first section of the widening work is 3km long and runs from Granard Road at Rocklea to the Oxley roundabout. The work involves widening the route from four lanes at present to six lanes and improving seven bridges, which includes increasing the height of the bridge over Oxley Creek. The 10km widening project is intended to reduce

Work is starting on two major highway projects in Bangladesh. The two have a combined value of US$674.3 million. One project is for an 8.5km long embankment with pumps for flood protection and should be complete at the end of 2020. This embankment will also feature a four lane roadway that will connect Chaktai with the Kalughat Bridge. The other project is for a 16km long elevated highway that will connect with Chittagong’s main airport. Intended to reduce travel times and congestion, this link should also

Construction on a new eastern highway connection to the city of Ufa should commence in 2018. The new link will connect the city, the capital of Bashkortostan which forms part of the Russian Federation, to the M-5 Ural Highway. The project is expected to cost US$694 million to construct and the work will be headed by the Turkish contractor Limak. The project was awarded as a 25 year concession package. Construction will not be without its technical challenges as the route passes through areas that are

The much-needed Interstate 64 widening project in the US state of Virginia is now getting the go-ahead. The project will be handled jointly by Granite Construction, Parsons and Corman. The three firms are working in a partnership to deliver the project under the design-build model. The work will help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow at peak periods. Two lanes and high occupancy toll lanes will be added to the route, increasing capacity.