Road Structures

Algeria is planning to restart construction of the final section of the country’s East- West Highway project as well as a tunnel at Djebel El Ouahch. Some 84km of the East-West highway located in Algeria’s El Tarf region remains to be built following the withdrawal of a Japanese-led consortium from the project. The project to build the 1.9km twin tube tunnel at Djebel El Ouahch and close to Constantine faced major geological challenges.

A new road tunnel in Nepal will provide a key transport link from the country’s capital, Kathmandu. The 2.5km tunnel will be Nepal’s first and should help cut traffic congestion in the Thankot Pass, which lies to the west of the capital.

A new link for Morroco’s road network will connect the port of Kénitra Atlantique to the country’s motorway system. Morocco’s Ministry of Infrastructure is commissioning a study to analyse the possible routes and feasibility for the new port link.

The Czech capital Prague will not have to pay €63 million to construction firm CKD Praha DIZ for cost overruns on the Blanka Tunnel complex. CKD Praha DIZ sought the amount over an alleged rise in costs when completion of the tunnel was delayed, according to a report by Radio Praha.

An upgrade of the route connecting Colombia’s capital Bogota with the second city of Medellin is now being considered. The plan would see the route being upgraded to a highway along a 120km stretch of the route, which would feature two lanes of traffic in either direction.

A major programme of road upgrades will help boost transportation in India’s Kerala State. Close to US$190 million will be invested in developing new road links in the state. In all 76 new road links are being planned. Funding is being provided by the Indian Government with the work being overseen by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) and the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB).

A new transport plan is envisaged for South Korea that involves the construction of a smart highway network. The aim of the programme is to optimise transport efficiency and capacity, with charging facilities for electric vehicles also included in the plans. South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport intends to add a further 1,000km of highways to the country’s overall network. Once the new highways are open to traffic South Korea will have a total highway network in excess of 5,100km.

A major programme of road development is planned for the Indian states of Bihar, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Odisha and West Bengal. In all some 1,120km of the country’s National Highways will be constructed in these states. This plan for road development forms part of the National Highways Interconnectivity Improvement Project. So far some 429km of these new roads have been completed, with all of the work expected to be finished by mid-2024. The work was initially expected to cost US$773 million but unforeseen e

Balfour Beatty has won a £35 million deal by Perth and Kinross Council to deliver the first phase of the Perth Transport Futures Project. Under the terms of the deal, Balfour Beatty will construct a new grade separated junction on the A9 dual carriageway as well as a new link road enabling access to development land to the west of Perth. This is the first of four phases of the Perth Transport Futures project, which aims to reduce congestion, boost transportation in the area and develop the local economy.

Turkey’s Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge over the Bosporus is having its official opening, which is being carried out by senior members of the country’s government including president Recep Erdoğan. The final sections of the deck structure were put into place in March 2016 and the project, which commenced in 2013, has been completed in record time. This is the third bridge to span the Bosporus at Turkey’s commercial centre, Istanbul and the new crossing will form part of the country’s North Marmara Highway pro