Search

Morocco’s road development programme is continuing with the announcement of plans for new motorway projects and upgrades. The country’s motorway company, ADM, will spend US$366.8 million on building a new motorway link from Berrechid to Tit Mellil and also to add lanes to the Casablanca to Berrechid connection. The latter will help reduce congestion at peak periods and improve journey times for users. New automated tolling systems are also being introduced on the country’s motorway network.

Work to improve the 445km road link connecting Kenya with Tanzania should commence in 2018. The African Development Bank (AfDB) is intending to put US$300 million into the project but is also seeking co-funding. A further $485 million will be needed to pay for the project, which should then take three years to construct. The route will run along the coastline, connecting Malindi in Kenya with Bagamoyo in Tanzania. Around 215km of the route runs through Kenya, with the remaining 230km in Tanzania. On the Ken

Turkey’s poor road safety is seeing the country suffer from a high crash rate. There were 307,000 crashes in the first nine months of 2017 in Turkey. These saw 2,700 deaths and 232,000 serious injuries. Over the last four years there were 4 million crashes in Turkey, resulting in 21,000 deaths and 674,000 serious injuries. The data comes from Turkey's General Directorate of Security.

A series of major road projects is being carried out in Panama. The Santiago-David road is being upgraded at present. The work has been split into five sections, with the entire project expected to cost US$1.08 billion. The plans are now being drawn up for the 40km section connecting San Juan and La Pita. This stretch of the project will cost $218.26 million to carry out.

Concern is being expressed over official reports in Norway that 1,087 of Norway’s 16,971 bridges are in need of repairs. The structures in question feature damage that is considered substantial enough to affect their load capacity or safety. The reports also reveal that just eight of the country’s bridges have been inspected since 2013. Norway’s Public Road Administration (Statens Vegvesen) has the task of inspecting the country’s bridges and ensuring they meet requirements. However there are concerns over

Two new road tunnel links and a new multi level interchange will be constructed in Oman. These tunnel sections will run under the Bidbid-Sur road and will boost safety for road users by giving protection from potential landslides. One 600m long tunnel will be built in Nidab town and the other tunnel will be 450m long and will be built in Wadi Al Aqa. Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) is managing the work.

Several major highway projects are being planned for Vietnam. The largest is for the construction of the North-South Expressway, which will improve transport connections for the country. Financing is being secured for the North-South Expressway, with some US$5.23 billion being secured. The Vietnamese Government will pay up to 39% of the cost of the work, with loans and private sector funding paying for the remaining 61%. Meanwhile a South Korean contractor will carry out a series of road projects in Can

Road projects are being proposed for the Australian state of Queensland, with upgrades to the M1 route taking precedence. One proposed project will be for the widening of the M1 between Tugun and Varsity Lakes; work expected to cost US$164 million (A$206 million). Improvements to the section of the M1 between Logan Motorway and Eight Mile Plains should cost $12.74 million (A$16 million). In addition an upgrade to the Oxenford Exit 57 interchange is expected to cost $19.9 million (A$25 million). The work