Preliminary works are now underway on a crucial link in the new road connections for New Zealand city Auckland. A 30m deep trench is being excavated that will form the start point for the tunnel boring machine (TBM) drive. The 2.4km long, twin tube tunnels will cost some US$1.13 billion (NZ$1.4 billion) to construct and will be driven using the TBM. The project team plans to commence the TBM drive in 2013.
Work is underway on the Causeway Upgrade Project in New Zealand. The US$183.3 million (NZ$220 million) contract was awarded by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). The route forms part of State Highway 16, with the fork being part of Auckland's Western Ring Route. The contract was awarded to the Causeway Alliance, a consortium made up of Aecom, Coffey Geotechnics, Fulton Hogan, Leighton Contractors, Sinclair Knight Merz and the NZTA.
Highway construction in the vast and varied Australasian landscape can be fraught with difficulties. Distance, extreme weather conditions and topographical challenges can all play a part in creating significant obstacles for design engineers. BarrierGuard 800, a state-of-the-art lightweight steel road safety barrier, is said to be proving invaluable in two ongoing projects setting new benchmarks for their respective regions.
The US$895.7 million (AUS$1 billion) Gateway WA Perth Airport and Freight Acces
In Morocco a key highway extension project is now moving forward. Moroccan road authority Autoroutes du Maroc (ADM) says that work to extend the Casablanca-Berrechid highway will commence in the first half of 2016. The US$62.32 million project will focus on a 21km section of the highway. The Casablanca-Berrechid highway will be the first segment of the Casablanca-Agadir highway, a route carrying some 40,000 vehicles/day at present.
