Road Structures

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are finalising plans for the US$3 billion second causeway project that will connect the countries. The project will be for a railway and road between both countries with the plans due to be complete by the end of 2015. Canadian company SNC Lavalin completed its feasibility study for the project in September 2015. The second causeway will measure 26km long and has been named King Hamad Causeway. SNC Lavalin suggested two routes while the project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

The 38.8km improvement project for Taiwan’s Suhua Highway now looks to be delayed until 2019. The opening of the route is being delayed by a combination of factors including landslides and archeological discoveries. The improvement works include upgrades to a number of key bridges and mountain tunnels like sections from Suao to Dongao, Nanao to Heping and Heping to Daqingshui. The project is costing US$1.42 billion. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2017. The delays involve relocation

In yet another reversal for a key Algerian road project, the Algerian Government has overturned its earlier decision to cancel Cojaal’s contract. The Algerian Government opted to change its 2014 decision to cancel a contract with Japanese construction company Cojaal. The project is for Algeria’s massive East-West highway, for which Cojaal was working on an eastern stretch. Talks are being carried to reach an agreement with Cojaal, which was initially awarded the contract to build a 399km stretch of motorway

Progress is being made with regard to the proposed Silvertown Tunnel project under the River Thames in London. The public consultation process is now going ahead for the Silvertown Tunnel, which has been described as vital for freight by the Freight Transport Association. Transport for London (TfL) is launching the consultation into a series of crossings planned in and around the capital. The Silvertown Tunnel will link the Greenwich Peninsula with the Royal Docks and will provide a reduction in congestion

Polish General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) is announcing tenders for the construction of a series of major routes. One key stretch is for a 41km section of the S14 dual carriageway, which will link the A2 highway with the S8 dual carriageway and which will constitute Lodz's western ring-road. According to declarations of the Polish Infrastructure and Development Ministry, work on the S14 project will commence in 2016.

An investigation is being carried out into the project to build a coastal road in linking Saint-Denis and La Possession in the French island of Réunion. This investigation is being carried out by a Paris court and is focussing on allegations of corruption in the awarding of contracts. The project is worth US$1.79 billion and is aimed at improving traffic links. The existing road is often closed due to rockfalls but the project to build the new link has been criticised for its cost and its environmental impa

Dutch global geotechnical services company Fugro has integrated and rebranded its UK operations as Fugro GeoServices. Operating under the new name are Fugro Seacore, Fugro Engineering Services, EM Drilling, Fugro Loadtest, Fugro Instrumentation & Monitoring and Fugro Aperio. Fugro GeoServices employs close to 600 people and undertakes seven key activities: nearshore geotechnical, offshore geotechnical, marine installation, onshore ground investigation, cone penetration testing, geophysics and instrume

Paraguay’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) will award a series of road projects worth around US$1.3 billion in early 2016. These project include work on the first section of the bi-oceanic corridor, the reconstruction of Route 9, the expansion of Routes 2 and 7 and the second bridge connecting Paraguay with Brazil. The tender process for Route 9 from Remanso Bridge to the city of Mariscal Estigarribia will open shortly and the project is expected to cost around $380 million. The tender fo