Road Structures

A free bridge? You’ve got to be kidding.

February 18, 2015

Nothing will stop construction of another bridge crossing the Detroit River to ease traffic congestion around North America’s most important economic border. The New International Trade Crossing will be entirely financed and owned by the Canadian government under a public private partnership. It will link the US city of Detroit, in the state of Michigan, with the Canadian city of Windsor in the province of Ontario. The two cities already have the toll road Ambassador Bridge as well as a toll road tunnel and

Key route upgrade for Northern Nigeria

February 18, 2015

In Nigeria’s Niger State, a major road upgrade project is now underway.

Detroit-Windsor Tunnel crossing gets new customs facilities

February 17, 2015

The governments of Canada and the province of Ontario officially opened a new customs plaza at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, one of the busiest road crossings between the United States and Canada. The Canadian federal government provided US$8 and the province added $20 million for the project that is part of security improvements and to speed up people processing facilities on the Canadian side of the tunnel. Among the upgrades are new vehicle access lanes, new buildings for the Canada Border Services Agency

Circular route proposed for Myanmar’s capital

February 17, 2015

Talks are in hand in Myanmar with regard to a new circular raised road route around capital Yangon. The aim of the project would be to cut congestion by constructing a new elevated road network. The construction cost is expected to be around US$2.5 billion. Work looks likely to commence in the 2015-1016 period following feasibility studies and a tender process. The project is expected to have considerable input from the private sector and to be carried out under a build-operate-transfer model. A number of i

Austrian highway investment programme planned

February 17, 2015

A major programme of investment is underway on Austria’s highway network. Austrian highway company Asfinag says that it is investing some €7 billion in building new links and upgrading existing connections. This six year programme will run until 2020. The programme calls for work to both highways and major trunk routes. One of the key projects underway already is the upgrade of the A26, which is costing €646 million. Another important project is the upgrade of the S10 trunk road, which is costing €718 milli

Argentina-Chile Agua Negra tunnel passes key preliminary stage

February 17, 2015

The Argentinean Senate is giving preliminary approval for the Agua Negra tunnel project. This is a key stage in the planning for the tunnel, which will link Argentina and Chile. The preliminary stages involve discussing the Maipu Treaty and various procedural agreements between the governments of both countries, an important step forward from the frosty relations between the two nations in the past. Further discussions will be held by the authorities in Argentina while the Chilean Government will be evaluat

Innovative road/drainage tunnel plan for Jakarta

February 16, 2015

An innovative combined road and drainage tunnel is being proposed for Indonesia’s capital Jakarta. A study is underway at the moment for this novel integrated tunnel project, which is expected to cost in the region of US$1.88 billion. Work is due to commence during 2015, with the initial phase of the construction being carried out by Antaredja Mulia Jaya. The project is calling for two 12km tunnels that will help alleviate flooding in the city during periods of high rainfall as well as featuring a road. The

Flyover and tunnel planned for D3 route in Slovakia

February 13, 2015

In Slovakia plans are in hand for work to the D3 route that will involve the construction of a flyover, a bridge and a tunnel. The flyover lies on the stretch of D3 between Zilina/Strazov and Zilina/Brodno. Work on this 4.25km section of the D3 is costing close to €255 million. The construction work commenced in June 2014 and is due for completion by 2017. The work is complex and includes building flyover over the Hricovska Prehrada Dam, as well as driving a tunnel and constructing bridge over the Kysuca Ri

Slovakia continues to ponder an 8km Little Carpathian road tunnel

February 12, 2015

Controversy continues to swirl around Bratislava’s proposed D4 motorway bypass and what tunnel options under the Little Carpathian Mountains is the best value.

Canada: dump truck slams into bridge, partially demolishing it

February 12, 2015

In Canada, the driver of a dump truck that slammed into a pedestrian bridge, partially collapsing it on to road below, may have to pay for his mistake. Highway 132 in a suburb of Montreal was closed overnight while a demolition crew hastily tore down the remaining section of walkway over the road. Police are questioning the driver of the snow-removal dump truck who reportedly was travelling down the highway with his dumper raised, hitting the bridge which was built in 1979 and had recently undergone a US$