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Peru has set a transport budget for 2019 that focuses on key projects. The country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) is setting close to half of its US$3.74 billion budget for 2019 to upgrading the highway connecting Huánuco with Conococha as well as developing the Lima Metro system. Other projects being prioritised in Peru include building the Bellavista to Mazan road and improving the road connecting Checca with Mazocruz. Peru’s transport infrastructure budget for 2019 will be around twice

Controversy surrounds proposals to improve a key road link in Panama. The plan is to widen and improve the Panamerican highway stretch in the country’s Panama Oueste Province, between Las Americas bridge and Arraijan. The work is expected to cost in the region of US$335.5 million. However there is concern over the 91ha of forest that will have to be cut down, of which 50ha lies in a national park. Various groups have criticised the Ministry of Public Works for choosing a road alignment that requires forest

Work is progressing in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City for construction of the new Beltway No3. An additional US$128.6 million is being set aside from the city’s budget to speed up work on the highway. The new beltway will measure 90km long, will allow vehicle speeds of up to 100km/h, with from two to four lanes in either direction. The route is being built in four sections. One stretch connects the Trung Luong expressway and National Highway No 22, another links National Highway No 22 and Binh Chuan, one joins

The new contract for Colombia’s Chirajara Bridge project has now been awarded to a consortium, Eiffage-Puentes y Torones. The consortium will handle the design and construction work for the new bridge. The structure will be a replacement for the earlier bridge, which collapsed as its construction was being finalised in January 2018, just a few months before it had been scheduled to open for traffic in March 2018. The collapse of the earlier structure resulted in 10 fatalities as well as causing serious inju

A loan facility has been secured which will help provide the necessary funding for a project planned by Waskita Toll Road in Indonesia. The loan is worth US$151.1 million and is being provided by a number of finance agencies. The bodies providing the financing package are Sarana Multi Infrastrukture and Bank Syariah Mandiri. The financing will be used by Waskita Toll Road’s Trans Jawa Paspro Jalan Tol division for a 31km toll road connecting Pasuruan with Probolinggo.

A funding package has been secured that will help pay for a major road project in Indonesia. The project forms part of the Trans-Sumatra toll road and the funding comes in the shape of a loan worth US$600.45 million, which is being supplied by Indonesia’s Bank Negara. Hutama karya will use the loan to help pay for its work on the Terbanggi to Kayu Agung stretch of the Trans Sumatra road project.

The European Parliament Environment Committee has voted on the proposal to amend Directive 2009/33/EU on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles, the so-called Clean Vehicles Directive. However all amendments calling for inclusion of construction machinery into the scope of the CVD were rejected. This is in line with argumentation and awareness-raising actions undertaken by CECE, the body representing construction equipment manufacturers in Europe.

A new route is planned to connect Kazakhstan with the neighbouring Altai Republic in Siberia. The Altai Republic intends to boost tourism in a bid to help develop its economy. During 2017, over 2 million people visited the Altai republic. Meanwhile Kazakhstan is also hoping to increase the numbers of tourists visiting the country every year, hoping to diversify its economy. At the moment the road networks of both countries are rather underdeveloped.

Two road construction contracts have been awarded in Dubai, which will improve connections for the coming Dubai Expo 2020 event. Worth a total of US$171.5 million, the work will be for the final phases of existing projects. The phase 5 deal includes building a total of 3km of roads and 2.6km of bridges while the phase 6 deal including building 8km of roads and 1.4km of bridges. The construction work also includes improving an intersection that links Emirates Road and Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road.