Search

New Zealand is increasing its budget for road safety measures. Included in the plan for the 2018/2019 period will be a series of upgrades to noted danger spots on local roads as well as improving intersections. The budget will now be US$2.76 billion (NZ$4 billion), an increase from the $2.48 billion (NZ$3.6 billion) for the 2017/2018 period.

A finance package has been secured in Colombia for the Autopista al Mar 1 highway project. A loan worth close to US$206 million is being provided by the national development bank, Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN). The highway forms part of Colombia’s 4G infrastructure development plan and the finance package will be provided in three separate tranches. The construction work is being carried out by a consortium comprising Strabag, Concay and Sacyr Concesiones. The project will upgrade the 71km

The dangers of drugged driving are being revealed in stark form in US states where the use of cannabis has been legalised.

Europe is seeing an improvement in road safety, but at a slower rate than hoped for. Official data shows that 25,250 people were killed in road crashes in the EU during 2017, a 2% drop from the figure recorded for 2016. Furthermore, road deaths have dropped just 3% in the last four years in the EU, with casualty reduction targets not being met. There are 32 countries listed in the PIN programme intended to cut road deaths and 22 of these nations did record improvements in road safety. Estonia managed to

In Panama work is being planned to upgrade the country’s stretch of the important Panamericana Highway. The upgrade will improve capacity and safety on the Panama stretch of the highway, which provides a key link through Central America, connecting South America with North America. Work on the Panama stretch of the Panamericana is expected to cost some US$543 million in all. The contract for the engineering services work will be carried out by Viaponte.

Australia’s New South Wales State is setting out its plan for future transport network development. Roads and highways remain a key priority for New South Wales, although development work will also encompass mass transit systems. However the State Government has made changes to the plans it set out for transport developments following feedback from residents in the areas being affected by the work. As a result, plans to build some road connections have been shelved and this includes work on a stretch of the

As pressure increases on the cost and availability of resources, investment in recycling technology continues to grow across the road building industry. To meet its full potential, a greater understanding is needed of material performance to allow the building of more resilient, sustainable and economic networks - *David Smith explains.

A new road safety drive in Europe is intended to cut casualties and crashes. The programme is being set up jointly in a bid to deliver zero traffic fatalities by 2050. The coalition includes the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) and the association of national motoring organisations (FIA Region I). It also has support from the Dutch Bicycle and Automotive Industry Association (RAI Vereniging) and the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB).

A serious problem with driving under the influence is now being seen in New Zealand. For the first time ever, drivers under the influence of drugs have been involved in a greater number of serious crashes than those under the influence of alcohol. As a result, more people were killed as a result of drug use than alcohol use in road crashes in New Zealand during 2017. This worrying fact highlights the problem with illicit drug use in New Zealand. The result of the research into road deaths has been revealed