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A key highway project worth in excess of US$364 million has been revealed in Vietnam. The first package of works for the upgrades to National Highway 20 was awarded by the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam to contractor, Management Board 7. The company will carry out work worth some $220 million, which involves building a 123km road as well as 16 bridges that will link Highway 725 in Lam Dong to Dau Giay Junction in Dong Nai Province. The work is being carried out under a build, operate and transfer type con

In Peru the Brazilian contractor Odebrecht is now setting out plans for a US$500 million package of works to upgrade the prime road network around capital Lima. In all some 144km of roads will be improved under the terms of the deal, which Odebrtecht was recently awarded by the Peruvian authorities.

Concern has been expressed in the UK over the release of accident statistics for 2011 that reveal an increase in road fatalities over the previous year. This is the first national rise in road deaths and serious injuries in 17 years. In all 1,901 people died on the UK’s roads in 2011, an increase of 3% of the figures for 2010 while those seriously injured rose 2% to 23,122. Interestingly, the number of fatalities fell for three types of road user, with a fall of 22% for bus and coach occupants, 10% for moto

The authorities in Algeria are planning major road network upgrades for the country’s Sétif Region. Some US$387.5 million has been budgeted for a programme of works that will see a series of major improvements to National roads that connect Sétif Region to Constantine, Bejaïa and M'sila. The Sétif Region has a road network comprising some 3,560km in total.

In China’s Guangxi Province, a cyclist is employing his dog in a bid to dissuade would-be thieves from stealing his bicycle, instead of using a chain and lock. When the man pops into a shop, he leaves his dog outside with his bicycle. The golden retriever patiently waits beside the bicycle, with a paw resting on the frame. Once the man returns and mounts the bicycle, the dog hops onto the rear carrier before barking to tell the owner he is safely seated. Local campaigners are working on providing the pooch

A new official world speed record has been set in Sweden by a somewhat unlikely vehicle, a piece of construction equipment more commonly seen on civil engineering projects or quarry sites. The machine, a Volvo CE wheeled loader, was specially modified for the record attempt and managed to clock 103km/h along the asphalt at Sweden’s Anderstorp race track. It was driven by one of Volvo CE’s team of demonstration drivers.

China is reported to be willing to fund the construction of the Limon road in Costa Rica, on the condition that a Chinese company is responsible for the key infrastructure project. It is understood that China would grant a 20-year loan of US$ 400 million, with a low interest rate, if their condition is met. The Congress of Costa Rica is expected to decide on the matter in November 2012. The Limon road project involves the expansion from two to four lanes of the 70km road from Rio Frio to Limon, and the dev

Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos has made a pledge to have over 3,200kms of double-lane roads in Colombia by 2018. A total of 1,700km will be built by 2014. Santos has announced 30 infrastructure projects which form part of the fourth round of road concessions. Six tenders involving works worth an estimated US$ 4.44 billion will be launched before the end of this year.