Road Structures

A novel tunnel project has been proposed in Brazil. The local infrastructure group Contern has suggested building a tunnel underneath the Serra do Mar nature reserve along the coast of Sao Paulo. The new link would improve access to the southern coastal area of that state, including to Santos port and the industrial area known as Baixada Santista. The project would be carried out under the PPP model so as to provide the necessary funding. The tunnel would have to be 21-23km long and would feature twin tubes

Rebuilding work is planned for a historic bridge in the US state of Pennsylvania to ensure it remains able to carry current traffic volumes. The work is being managed by consulting engineer Michael Baker International. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) selected Michael Baker International for the US$5 million engineering and design project that will focus on the western spans of the Market Street Bridge in Harrisburg. Rehabilitating this critical traffic artery in Pennsylvania's capital re

The long running saga of Algeria’s East-West Highway should come to a key point soon, when most of the route will finally be open to traffic. The 1,216km-long route will be fully operational at the end of October 2015. This is of course with the exception of the Lakhdaria section, which still requires rehabilitation work to be carried out. The repairs are expected to carry on until May or June 2016. Contractors from all over the world have been involved in the East-West highway project but certain stretches

Engineering services provider UGL has signed a four-year deal with the Lend Lease Bouygues joint venture that is building the NorthConnex motorway in Sydney, Australia. The US$329 million contract is for the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the electrical, mechanical, communication, fire and control systems needed for the project’s 9km twinned tolled tunnel. UGL provides outsourced engineering, asset management and maintenance services to rail, transport, power, resources, water an

The Indian Government plans to build a new highway connecting Katra with New Delhi. The route will be some 600km long, running through Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir. A consultant is being selected to carry out a feasibility study for the project. The project will cost in the order of US$2.25 billion and will be of importance as Katra is where the Vaishno Devi holy shrine is located. The new link will reduce travel time on the route from 11-12 hours at present to five-six hours when the work is complete

A major road network improvement programme is planned for Ethiopia. For the 2015/2016 financial year, the country aims to build and maintain over 14,000km of roads. The programme is being managed by the Ethiopian Road Construction Corporation (ERCC). At present the firm is carrying out a series of road construction and maintenance works costing some US$313.5 million.

A series of major road projects is now getting underway in Poland, while tenders for new projects are also opening. Estimates suggest that the construction of six new ring-roads in the Opolszczyzna region will cost some €356 million. These ring roads all form part of the 2014-2023 National Road Construction Programme. The first projects to be carried out will be for the ring-roads around Mysliny and Niemodlina. In all, the National Road Construction Programme will include the building of 57 ring-roads.

Sri Lanka plans to construct a new bridge that will improve transport connections to capital Colombo. The six lane bridge will span the Kelani River. It will be built parallel to the existing Kelani Bridge (Japan Friendship Bridge) and help cut congestion on this important travel route. The project is expected to cost US$335.6 million. The bridge will feature an elevated approach road and the project also includes the construction of interchanges linking the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (CKE), Baseline Roa

Mexico’s Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) is preparing two tenders for new road projects. These will be carried out under the PPP model. The contracts include the road linking Queretaro and San Luis Potosi, and Coatzacoalcos, in Veracruz, and Villahermosa, in Tabasco. The SCT is expected to complete tenders for a total of 52 highways. In addition SCT will carry out tenders for 80 road projects. Of these 80 road projects, 60 will be for widening and upgrading work while 20 will be for new ro