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Additional funding is being sought for the third stage of a project that will upgrade the 3,010km Ho Chi Minh Highway in Vietnam. The third phase of the project has an estimated investment capital of some US$14.7 billion and foreign and local investors are being invited to invest in the road through different funding structures. The funding models will include the proven build-transfer-operate (BTO), build-transfer (BT) and build-operate-transfer (BOT) systems, with from 20%-30% of the funding to come from

Two key highway upgrades will be carried out in Australia by Valemus, a subsidiary of German construction firm Bilfinger Berger. In total the work is worth some US$219.4 million. Valemus is building a section of the Pacific Highway in New South Wales. This 8.6km four-lane road forms a bypass around Bulahdelah and is the final link in the southern section of this highway.

Ethiopia is targeting a major investment in transport infrastructure as a means to boost its economy in the long term. The country's government has plans for a road building programme worth an impressive US$8.97 billion. The aim of the programme will be to build 82,500km of roads over a five year period. This will extend Ethiopia's road network from 49,000km at present to a total of 136,000km.

The official opening of the new Corredor Bioceanico Central highway linking Brazil, Chile and Bolivia will be carried out in November of this year. The corridor provides a vital commercial link between the countries and is of particular importance to Bolivia, which is entirely landlocked. Better access to ports in Brazil and Chile and will help Bolivia's economy while also helping trade in those nations. Measuring 3,800 km long, the corridor comprises a number of roads that link Santos in Brazil to Iquique

The authorities in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo intend to invest in new storm drains in the near future. Photo courtesy of World Highways reader Lionel Rajapakse.

Plans are well in hand for a new link that will improve connections between capital Santiago and its fast growing satellite town of Lampa. The US$130 million project will shorten the current journey time of one hour to 35 minutes and is expected to carry some 10,000 - 17,000 vehicles/day when it opens to traffic.

Work will commence on a key new road tunnel connecting in Chile in 2001. The Chacabuco II tunnel will provide another road link between Santiago and the Andes mountain range along the Los Libertadores highway. This will improve Chile's connection with neighbouring Argentina as the highway runs to the border. The 2km tunnel will run parallel to the existing Chacabuco I tunnel, and will carry two lanes of traffic running towards Santiago.

The authorities in Oman are working on plans for a 40km bridge link. This bridge would connect to Masirah Island and would cross over the sea. The authorities hope to open the tender process some time during 2011. The project is expected to cost in the region of US$1.5 billion and faces many technical challenges.

India's Punjab State is amongst the country's leading areas with regard to the development of new road and highway connections. The next two years will see US$1.43 billion of road projects being completed in the state. Seven key projects will link of the state's major cities with four or six-lane highways.

India's Government is keen to ramp up construction of its highway network so as to meet up its own strict deadlines for expansion. The National Highways Development Project (NHDP) calls for tough targets to be met on the distances being achieved/month.