Search

Both Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Hanoi in Vietnam are to benefit from new transport infrastructure. For HCMC, as much as $39.6 billion will be required to deliver all of the 85 transport infrastructure projects being planned. Severe congestion and flooding are frequent problems causing major traffic hold-ups. Of the 85 transport projects needed for the city, 15 are for the construction of new roads while 55 are for road/bridge works. A further eight are for rail links and seven for waterways. Meanwhile in

Progress is being made for Colombia’s Toyo Tunnel project. Around 20% of the work has been carried out. Building the tunnel and the first stage of the connecting highway sections in Antioquia includes the construction of 17 bridges, seven tunnel sections and 4.4km of road. Tendering for the second stage of the project is due to start soon and will include building a further 19.4km of highway. The Toyo Tunnel project and the entire highway was originally expected to cost US$603.5 million but is now expected

Listening to loud rock music while driving could have a negative effect on road safety. This is according to research carried out jointly by IAM RoadSmart and the magazine Auto Express. The research used a sophisticated driving simulator system. A test driver sat in the Base Performance Simulator while tackling a simulation of the Red Bull circuit in Austria. As the person drove, loud rock, classical, pop and hip-hop music was played. The trials included different driving scenarios with control at high spe

An important road widening project is starting in the Republic of Bashkortostan, part of the Russian Federation. The contractor, Khotkovsky Avtomost, will widen a 19.65km stretch of the M5 route from a single lane in either direction at present so that it will have two lanes in either direction. The work will improve transport to and from the city of Ufa, home to one of the largest truck manufacturers in the Russian Federation. The work also includes building two new interchanges as well as a bridge and an

Construction work on an important road link is underway in South Eastern Nigeria. The US$333 million road link will connect Bodo with Bonny Island. The 35.7km road includes the construction of a new bridge. The work is being carried out by contractor Julius Berger and commenced in 2017, with completion due in 2022. The project faces technical challenges as 7km of the route runs through marshy ground. There have also been issues between residents in the area and the contractor. When complete, the new road w

The Vietnamese Government is giving its approval for the construction of a new tolled expressway connecting Phan Thiet with Dau Giay. The work will be carried out under the PPP model. Building the expressway will improve transport connections to the coastal area around Phan Thiet. Dau Giay is located just to the east of Ho Chi Minh City, so the new link will provide an important transport connection that will boost the economy for Phan Thiet. This deal comes shortly after the announcement of a new 85km str

The Serbian Government has secured a financing package to help pay for a key highway project. A loan worth €385.8 million is being provided by China’s Export-Import Bank for the construction of the Preljina-Pozega highway. In addition, the Serbian Government is also being provided with an €867 million loan from China’s Export-Import Bank for the development of the Novi Sad-Subotica railway line.

The authorities in St Petersburg are setting out plans for a series of road improvement and expansion works. A budget of US$678.6 million has been set to assist in financing the road works. In all 25 road projects are being planned. Two key projects are for building the Yuzhno-Volkhonskaya Road and the Southern Latitudinal Highway (Phase I). Another two key projects are for the upgrades of the the Petrozavodskoye Highway and the Primorskoye Highway (Phase II). All four of these projects should commence in 2

Thailand is looking to support a major highway project that will connect with its neighbours. A new 138km highway link will improve transport connections between Thailand and Myanmar’s Dawei Special Economic Zone. This route will likely receive financial support via Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA). This is just one of several projects NEDA is aiming to assist. NEDA is in talks with representatives of a number of neighbouring countries such as Laos and Cambodi

Switzerland will soon tender for companies to build and supply a mobile system for physically shifting traffic away from road crews – the Astra Bridge concept. The federal highways agency - FEDRO - will be asking general contractors to submit bids starting this summer for the Astra Bridge system, according to the agency. The system, to be used on motorways, includes ramp sections at each end of what amounts to a train of elevated connected road sections. Vehicles run onto the top of the train which is