Road Structures

Qatar is setting the wheels in motion for the development of a comprehensive highway network. Engineering firm KBR is working on a three year, US$185 million consultancy contract to manage Qatar’s highway construction and improvement programme. This package is an extension to KBR’s earlier contract, which the firm won in 2010. The new contract was awarded by Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the highway network plans will form part of the country’s National Vision 2030 strategy. New and improved

Work on a major interchange project in the UAE is on track. The US$184.3 million interchange project includes building a new road link to Abu Dhabi’s International Airport. The work is complex, with 5.6km of connecting roads, 4.8km of bridges and an overpass and underpass that provide a connection for the E12 route leading to Yas Island. Highway widening work is also included as well as the construction of secondary roads and a new drainage system to handle floodwater. The work has been needed to meet antic

Work on a major highway route in Greece is due for completion in March 2017. The country’s economic woes have resulted in delays to numerous road projects, however the Corinth-Patras route will be ready for traffic in March 2017. This will improve transport connections between Greece’s second largest city, Corinth and its third largest city, Patras.

India is working on a master plan that will boost transport across the country. This calls for the construction of a grid pattern of highways, with the concept strongly influenced by the US interstate system. The four-lane, national highway corridors plan has been developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This envisages a total of 27 highways set out on a grid pattern and with a total length of 36,600km, with north-south and east-west routes spaced some 250km apart. The plan calls for

Chile is pushing ahead with infrastructure development. The Ministry of Public Works intends to award five to seven projects during 2016. The Ministry of Public Works has also set a target of having 12-13 major infrastructure projects being awarded and worth a total of US$6 billion by the time the current administration comes to the end of its term. One road project due to be awarded shortly is for the phase two of the Vespucio Oriente link. The tender is expected to open in July 2016. The projects for t

Russia is setting out plans for development of its transport network, with road construction and maintenance amongst the areas being prioritised. The new plan will run from 2016-2021 and has been established by the Transport Ministry. In all the country intends to spend close to US$90 billion developing transportation. The construction of new federal highways and rebuilding of existing links will be high on the agenda for action. During 2016, the plans call for 360km of new motorways opening for traffic.

The Indonesian Government is continuing with its massive programme of toll road expansion work. Deals for a number of key projects have now been agreed, with the work costing a total of US$3.63 billion in all. Construction activity will see the development of these important routes. Several of the road projects are being carried out under the PPP model. These include a 30km link in Banten that will connect Serpong with Balaraja, a 37km road in East Java from Pandaan to Malang and a 99km road in East Kaliman