Road Structures

Financing worth €100 million has been secured for a major highway project in Bosnia. The finance package comes in the shape of a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB). This will help pay for work on the 6km Tunel Kvanj-Buna highway. With financing in place, final discussions will be carried out and then construction will be able to commence shortly.

An Italian contractor is to carry out work on Kuwait’s Abdaly Highway. The project is worth nearly US$300 million and will link Kuwait City with Abdaly. The work will be carried out by Itinera, a subsidiary of Gavio. The project calls for upgrading and widening of the highway, which has three lanes in either direction at present. Following the rebuilding work the highway will feature five lanes in either direction, as well as emergency lanes.

Plans for massive highway construction projects have been unveiled in China. A 451km highway has been announced that will connect the cities of Yibin an Panzhihua. This is expected to cost as much as US$12 billion, with two firms carrying out the project under the build-operate-transfer model. Construction is due to commence later this year and is expected to take five years to complete. Meanwhile in Yunnan Province, the authorities are planning two highway projects worth a total of $3.75 billion. A new 50k

Norway could be home to the world’s longest wooden bridge if the government gives the go-ahead for a span across Lake Mjosa. In a new report, researchers conclude that it is possible, both technically and economically, to build a 1.7km wooden bridge between the towns Biri and Moelv. Importantly, the report notes that construction cost differences between a wooden and concrete structure would be little. Estimates for a wooden bridge are around €420 million while for a concrete structure would come in about €

The 7km subsea Oslofjord Tunnel in Norway will be closed for up to three weeks after a truck caught fire in the tunnel on May 5. Norwegian media report that a 500m stretch was damaged - tunnel vault, cables, insulation and road surface. The tunnel is equipped with 25 evacuation rooms that can be sealed off from the main tunnel. Each room can provide pressurised space for up to 50 people while a fire is being fought. However, the latest incident has spurred the government to announce that a second tube will

Construction of a bridge and two new tunnels on Montenegro’s Bar-Boljare highway will go ahead. Permission for the projects was given by the country’s Ministry of Sustainable Development. The work is for the new Zagradje Bridge link as well as the Mrki Krs and Durilovac tunnels, which will be constructed for the 41km highway stretch from Smokovac to Matesevo. The Zagradje Bridge will in fact feature dual structures carrying traffic in either direction, with one measuring 100m long and the other 150m. The co

The Chilean Government is planning a series of major highway projects with the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) managing the works. The plans call for 14 concessions worth a total of US$3.74 billion to be awarded by January 2018. The second stage of Americo Vespucio Oriente highway (AVO 2) is costing $800 million and is a priority project. This has been delayed already and opening of the route is now expected for 2022. Five regional highways are also opening for tender, including the Ruta G-21 road link, whic

The tender process is now being opened for the feasibility study into the planned highway project to link Nigeria’s commercial centre Lagos with Abidjan, the commercial centre for Ivory Coast.

Construction of the US$2.1 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to start in late 2018, according to the authority in charge of the project. Preliminary early works on bridge – the second to span the Detroit River ? between Detroit, Michigan in the US and Windsor, in the Canadian province of Ontario have started. A main contractor is likely to be appointed by mid next year. The first phase of early works has focused on fill placement, construction of a perimeter access road and minor utility