Road Structures

A US$4 billion bypass contract has been signed in Hong Kong. The deal for the Central-Wan Chai Bypass project has been agreed by the Hong Kong Highways Department with the joint venture Chun Wo-CRGL-MBEC.

Investigations are in hand in Costa Rica over a series of faults on the highway linking capital San Jose with Caldera. The US$230 million highway has suffered surface cracking in certain stretches, while a number of landslides have also occurred along the route that have required clearing and for repairs to be made. Costa Rica's authorities are investigating Autopistas del Sol following allegations of corruption with regard to the San Jose to Caldera highway project. The investigations are looking at the co

Plans are in hand for major upgrades to Russia’s road network. Russian Highways (Avtodor) aims to construct 958km of roads, as well as to reconstruct 963km of road and improve 700km of road bed by 2019. The 684km M11 highway linking Moscow with St Petersburg is the top-priority. A 72km bypass road will be built in the Tver region.

Serbia has managed to reduce the cost of building the Corridor 10 highway by €80 million. These funds will instead be used to pay for upgrades and improvements needed for the second section of the highway project, close to Neradovci. So far some 180km of the Corridor 10 highway has been built over a 40 month time frame. A further 150km of the highway has still to be built. Work on the Corridor 10 motorway is also being financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the state budget. Wh

The Spanish construction firm ACS is tendering for the construction and operation of four bridges in the US. The firm is tendering in partnership with some other US and international firms for some of the projects, which are worth a total of US$11.4 billion. The Tappan Zee project is expected to cost $5 billion and the deal will be for a design and construction contract. The bridge will be located in New York, is being developed by New York State Thruway Authority and will require two, four-carriageway brid

The authorities in Russia's Kranosyarsk region plan to set up a regional road fund for 2012 worth some US$279 million. Some of the funds will be spent on a fourth bridge over the Esiney River. Rural roads will also benefit from the regional road fund, with additional backing from Russia's Federal Government.

Russia is rolling forward with a massive programme of road building and reconstruction. The plans call for some 5,700 km of federal highways to be repaired by 2017. At present, only 38% of Russia's roads are in good condition and this has been identified as a key priority for improvement by the country's Government.Meanwhile the authorities in the Russian city of St Petersburg have a target infrastructure investment programme for 2012 as well as plans for 2013 and 2014

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the International Bridge, Tunnel, and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will allow the two organisations to work together in support of road funding and financing tools that help states build and maintain infrastructure.The MoA was signed by AASHTO president Susan Martinovich and IBTTA president Frank McCartney during the AASHTO Board of Directors policy meeting last week.