Road Structures

Two competing consortia are due to find out tomorrow (December 20 2013) which one has won the estimated €1.2 billion (US$1.65 billion) contract to build the Comarnic-Brasov highway section in Romania. The Vistrada Nord consortium formed of Vinci of France, Strabag of Austria and Aktor of Greece, and another consortium involving Impreglio and Salini of Italy are vying for the prized works. The Comarnic-Brasov highway section should be completed by the end of 2016, according to Narcis Neaga, general man

Turnkey contracts, including major transport projects, worth US$4.51 billion (EUR 3.28bn) have been signed under the current government administration in Panama since its election in 2009, it has been reported. The value of the turnkey contracts signed during President Ricardo Martinelli’s time as head of state includes US$1.09 billion allocated to five contracts to widen a 185km road section between Santiago de Veraguas and David to four lanes. The most expensive contract, worth US$ 1.64 billion, is for a

Work is starting on a new road tunnel in Nepal. The tunnel will form part of a 58km highway route that will improve connectivity in the country from capital Kathmandu to Kulekhani and Hetauda. The Kathmandu - Kulekhani - Hetauda Tunnel (KKHT) HighwayTunnel (KKHT) Highway is a major project for Nepal and is being carried out under the PPP model. The 4.5km tunnel will feature four traffic lanes, and is being developed by the Nepal Purwardhar Bikash Company. In all, the 58km route will feature three tunnel sec

Chinese firm Shandong High Speed Group is to carry out a portion of the construction activity for Serbia’s Corridor 11 highway. The company will commence work on the section between Obrenovac to Ub and from Lajkovac to Ljig shortly. The agreement was signed between the Shandong High Speed Group and the Serbian Government. Work on the project is due to for completion within 37 months. Exactly which portions of the construction work on these sections has not been revealed however. At present several sections

Extra funding will help improve the road link connecting Malawi and Zambia. The African Development Fund (ADF) is providing a loan worth US$73.6 million for the fourth phase of the Multinational Nacala Road Corridor Development project. This route connects Malawi and Zambia and is of major economic importance to both nations, but particularly for Malawi as its transport connections with its neighbours are not well developed. The ADF is providing loans of $7.7 million to Zambia and a loan of $65 million to M

The UK’s Minerals Products Association – Cement has published its first full sustainable development report. Marking a significant change from traditionally reporting on principally its environmental performance, the new sustainable development report sees the industry setting out its broader sustainable development aspirations, not only in the manufacturing process, but also in how cement can help contribute to a more sustainable environment, economy and society.

A major Brazilian highway concession package has been awarded to Triunfo Participações e Investimentos (TPI). The US$3.02 billion tender is for a multiple federal highway concession package for the BR-060, BR-153 and BR-262, according to a report from Business News Americas. This deal covers some 1,177km of highway stretches, including the installation of 11 tollbooths and widening 648km of roads within a five year period. The sections of highway involved in the deal are in Brazil’s Federal District as well

A series of road improvements and investments will improve connections in Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. The World Bank is offered the Ugandan Government a loan of US$400 million to rebuild roads in Kamdini and Tororo-Soroti-Lira. This funding will allow contractors to carry out road maintenance on the roads for 7-10 years, with work scheduled to start in 18 months. Meanwhile a deal worth $335.76 million has signed by the Tanzanian Government for the second phase of the Road Sector Support Project (RSSP-II

A €10 million contract from the European Commission will form the basis of work to strengthen essential infrastructure development across the Western Balkans. A consortium led by Mott MacDonald, and including WYG and WS Atkins has been awarded this contract to carry out the engineering consultancy work required for the infrastructure expansion. This is an extension to an earlier contract awarded last year to provide technical assistance as part of the Infrastructure Projects' Facility (IPF) of the Western B

The Colombian authorities have plans in hand for a US$240 million highway upgrade project. In all, 10 groups have been pre-selected for the tender process for the work, according to a report by Business News Americas. The project is for upgrades and improvements to a 173km stretch of the Puerta de Hierro-Cruz del Viso highway. This work includes improvements to access roads in the area, which lies in Colombia’s northern Sucre, Bolívar and Atlántico departments. The country’s infrastructure agency, ANI, has