Road Structures

Two Chinese provinces are investing a combined US$9.36 billion in transport infrastructure during 2014. Shaanxi province in northwest China plans to invest $5.79 billion (CNY 35 billion), enabling the upgrade of 5,000km of rural roads and the construction of around 1,110km of highway. The authorities will also strive to complete the Xianyang-Xunyi, Luofu-Weizhuang and Jiangzhang-Famensi highways in 2014, which will add about 160km of highway in Shaanxi province. Meanwhile in southwest China, the Yunnan pr

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI) in Nicaragua plans to build more than 200km of new roads during 2014. The MTI reportedly has a budget of US$151.87 million (NIO 3.88 billion), of which $58.44 million (NIO 1.5 billion) belongs to the Treasury. One 10km project originally earmarked for 2013, the Malpaisillo-Mina El Limon road, will be carried out in 2014. The 28km Nejapa-Empalme de Puerto Sandino scheme is also said to be under development.

Ambitious plans to build the Malacca Straits bridge in Malaysia’s Malacca state have received a boost from a senior Danish diplomat. After meeting with Denmark's ambassador to Malaysia Nicolai Ruge, who said that his country had the engineering capacity and expertise to deliver the project, Malacca state’s chief minister, Idris Haron, said that it was possible the planned structure over the Malacca Straits could proceed. The idea of the 48.69km bridge – which would link Teluk Gong in Malacca with Dumai in

The Government of Qatar is reportedly near to agreeing deals for delivering a number of vital road transport and other infrastructure projects worth a combined US$12.36 billion (QAR 45 billion). Seven major expressways, other road development and repair projects, and key sewage infrastructure works make up the planned projects’ package. The expressway projects will have a combined road length of 900km, subways, flyovers and 240 major interchanges. In addition, the expressway projects will also include a h

Romania’s national roads company has plans for work to start on some 400km of new highways in 2014. This is expected to cost in the order of €5.8 billion. The three key projects will be the €1.2 billion Comarnic-Brasov highway, the Craiova-Pitesti highway and the southern beltway in Bucharest. In all the three projects will cost €5 billion and will extend for 230km.

In Canada construction is underway on the US$276.6 million (C$300 million) gravel highway connecting Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. This 140km, all-weather gravel route lies in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT). The NWT highway connects to the Demspter Highway in the Yukon territory and stretches all the way to the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic ocean. This will be the second major infrastructure boost to the Arctic region, following the opening of the Deh Cho Bridge in 2012. Completion is expected in 2018. Canada’

A Japanese infrastructure loan will help find major highway projects in Mozambique. The agreement for the loan has been made between the governments of Japan and Mozambique. The US$572.3 million loan will be used to widen and upgrade several existing routes as well as to build new highways. This will help Mozambique capitalise on development of its resources.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Statens Vegvesen , has awarded contracts for the E6 highway to Implenia and KA Austad and for the E18 south of capital Oslo. The E6 contract relates to the stretch connecting Vinstra and Sjoa in Gudbrandsdalen and is worth some €185.71 million. The construction work is now commencing and will take until October 2016 to complete. The project is for 16km of the E6 however it will include tunnel construction work. Hard, competent rock conditions mean that drill and bl

Improvement work is due to start on the expressway connecting Shanghai with the city of Xi’an during this year. Work will commence on the 66km section of the Jiangdu-Guangling stretch of the Hushan Expressway. This section runs from the Zhengyi Hub and ends at the Taixing Guangling Hub. The work will see the 19km Jiangdu section of the expressway widened to eight lanes, with four in either direction. This stretch of the project will feature a design speed of 120km/h and will cost US$841 million. The cost fo

Parsons Brinckerhoff is handling the design contract for a new bridge in the US city of Pittsburgh. The new structure will replace an existing 89-year-old bridge on South Negley Avenue and the contract was awarded by the authorities in the City of Pittsburgh. The existing bridge carries South Negley Avenue over the Port Authority of Allegheny County East Busway and the Norfolk Southern Railroad. It carries around 15,000 vehicles/day and connects East Liberty and Shadyside. Originally built in 1924 and rehab