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Preliminary data from Germany's Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, reveals an improving road safety situation in the country. The latest figures show that the number of people killed in road traffic crashes in Germany decreased by 283 or 10.3% to 2,466 in the first three quarters of 2013 compared to the same period in the previous year. The number of people injured in road crashes in the first three quarters of 2013 period fell by 5.3% to around 279,100. Meanwhile the overall number of crashes registered

A consortium comprising Vinci-Bouyges has a contract worth some US$1.63 billion for construction of a new coastal road in La Réunion. However the French firm Eiffage TP is contesting the deal and claims that the project cannot be carried by two major firms that have joined together to carry out the work. According to Eiffage TP, a consortium must be justified for either economic or technical reasons. The project is going ahead despite opposition from the National Council for the Protection of Nature (CNPN).

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) ARTBA is forecasting moderate growth in 2014 for the US transportation infrastructure market. According to ARTBA, the overall US transportation infrastructure construction market will grow five percent from US$129 billion this year to $135.8 billion in 2014. ARTBA’s chief economist, Dr Alison Premo Black, said the market would be led by expected double-digit growth in airport runway and terminal work and a 6% increase in bridge and tunnel const

A new agreement on funding has been struck between Ethiopia and the European Union. The deal will see the EU providing some US$ 287 million in the form of a development grant, to be used for an array of projects in the country. In all $66.56 million of the funding will be used for road construction, with the rest of the grant being aimed at improving health and protecting the country from drought.

Interest is strong in the project to build the 14km tunnel link between Chile and Argentina, with reports stating that 23 firms having expressed an interest in the work. The twin tube tunnel will connect Argentina’s San Juan Province with Chile’s Coquimbo Province (Region IV) and will be constructed in the Andes Mountains. The Agua Negra project is set to cost somewhere in the range from US$800 million to $1 billion, although the exact price of the project has yet to be determined. Some 72% of the link will

A group has united with a common aim, that roads must be maintained to save lives and money. The European Commission and national governments are being called upon to step‐up road maintenance standards by organisations, which represent consumers, road and vehicle industries, and safety bodies. The group comprises the Féderation International de l'Automobile (FIA), the European Road Federation (ERF), the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), a

Kobelco is opening its new European headquarters at a location in the Netherlands. Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe (KCME) has based its new headquarters at Almere, in the Netherlands. The facility will become one of the strategic overseas bases for Kobelco’s further expansion. Located close to Amsterdam, this operation will provide access to European cities by air, sea or road. The headquarters will serve as Kobelco’s Sales and Marketing Centre, Technical Support, and Spare Parts Distribution Centre.

Japan’s Ministry of Transport is to scrap weekday daytime toll discounts on some of the country’s expressways from late March 2014 after a poll discovered that they were failing to relieve traffic jams. A 30% discount is currently available to drivers on non-Osaka, Tokyo and its neighbouring area toll expressways operated by Central Nippon Expressway, West Nippon Expressway and East Nippon Expressway from 9am to 5pm. State subsidies are also allowing operators to offer further expressway toll discount